Politics & Council
8 December, 2025
TWO COMMUNITIES NEED CHILD CARE AND THEIR MESSAGE TO GOVERNMENTS ... LISTEN TO MUMS
PRESSURE is building for the State and Federal Governments to end the child care deserts at opposite ends of the Loddon Shire.
Community leaders are rallying around young families forced to travel hundreds of kilometres a day to access care and mothers forced to stop work until children are at school.
Despite $5 million promised for child care in the shire in a last-minute election pitch in May, the Federal Government on Tuesday told the Loddon Herald the money would be for “an early learning centre”.
Supporters of achieving adequate child care in the shire said government pitching communities at each other would be unfair.
The Government update from Minister for Early Childhood Education Jess Walsh came as Inglewood and Districts Community Bank released details of its feasibility study on the child care need in southern communities and Boort mothers prepare for a meeting with Mallee MP Anne Webster.
““Our Government is committed to delivering a high-quality early learning centre for this community, because children deserve access to the benefits of early education and care no matter their postcode,” Senator Walsh said.
Boort Ward councillor David Weaver said: “Our area is being hammered by water buybacks, wind and solar plans and VNI West ... surely the Government can put child care in Loddon communities where it is needed to do something for our towns and families.”
Loddon Shire councillors last week backed Inglewood Ward councillor Miki Wilson in listing child care “where it is needed” as a key priority in its advocacy ahead of next November’s state election.
Senator Walsh said the Federal and State Governments were in talks for the Loddon location.
The bank on Monday released fundings of its feasibility study that says child care would be viable for the district.
Board deputy chairman Max Higgs said the study on the need for care in Inglewood, Bridgewater, Serpentine, Tarnagulla and Newbridge had shown a centre would be viable if used by 25-30 children a day. “The study by Wendy Holland shows that There is a need for early childhood education/care in the Inglewood-Bridgewater area,” Mr Higgs said.
“The study included a survey of prospective users - only 12 per cent of respondents indicated that if a facility was not built in Inglewood/Bridgewater they would use the (new) facility in Wedderburn.”
Mr Higgs said the bank would now establish a governance group of parents and carers and representatives from schools, kindergarten, Loddon Shire, foster carers, local development groups and others.
“We will use the study, together with other supporting documentation, to advocate with local, state and federal politicians for a share of the promised $5 million in federal funding,” he said.
“And we will liaise with both the owners of suitable sites and potential providers.”
Mr Higgs said suitable sites for either a new build or modification of an existing building had been identified for a centre in the southern communities and the study had also identified possible not-for-profit providers.
““Accessible, high quality early childhood education/care is a cornerstone of healthy, thriving communities,” he said.
The community bank has committed $250,000 towards a child care centre.
Speech pathologist Ebony Leahy said she had stopped working until her youngest child started school.
“I did look at child care in Bendigo but that would have meant taking her out of the community and away from kindergarten,” the Bridgewater mum said.
A State Government centre will open next February at Wedderburn College.
Community leaders have told the Loddon Herald that child care at the northern and southern ends of the shire would complete the access roadmap for families and boost employment recruitment and retention, school enrolments and liveability.