General News
19 May, 2026
Families to benefit from new kindergarten expansion at MEC
A long awaited additional kindergarten for Maryborough is soon to become reality, with the Maryborough Education Centre (MEC) to have an Early Learning Victoria Centre by 2028.
Thrilled by the win for local families, MEC principal Kristen Le Gassick said the on site early learning centre will allow a pathway for students to begin and continue their learning journey on one campus, if families choose.
“We are just really excited to have, from early years all the way through, that the whole of schooling are catered for on the one site. It’s a space that celebrates learning from birth to the end of year 12,” she said.
“There is a sense this is a family school. For a lot of families, everyone is here.”
One of 50 State Government-owned and operated Early Learning Victoria centres delivered across the state, the new kindergarten will provide education to children aged six weeks to the commencement of primary school, providing long day care, and integrated three and four year old kinder programs.
The centre will also have additional space for child and family services such as maternal and child health, as well as an outdoor play space.
This announcement follows the State Government’s funding of $18 million toward MEC’s new specialist campus and an all abilities track.
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Ms Le Gassick said construction of the kindergarten will be in line with broader upgrades to ensure the entire MEC campus is disability accessible, future proofing all learning spaces to accommodate students with any needs.
“These spaces need to consider and cater for kids that might have a disability, particularly those who might need things like hoists and change tables that can move. The building may not have those at the time, but it will have the space. We are really careful about ‘are rooms big enough to accommodate wheelchairs?’,” she said.
“When we go out into the play space, we are thinking about tan bark, that can be difficult because it gets stuck in wheels, but a lot of soft surfaces are also combustible, so the architect is trying to meet all of those challenges. But this centre will have kids with a range of needs and abilities, and we need to make it so they can be here.
“That’s not to say all of our kids with a disability are in the specialist school, because all of our kids have a choice. We aren’t only going to build these upgrades in the specialist setting, we are making our whole school accessible.”
“Because we know what our needs are, we have been quite vocal in these areas. What ever we do, we are looking at it through a lens of ‘universal design’.”
Early Learning Victoria’s director of quality Nicole Pilsworth said the new centre will bring a range of benefits to young families in the region.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity ... it brings a whole lot of opportunities not just to families in Maryborough, but also offering really high quality to children, and great opportunity for continuity of learning,” she said.
“There is a lot of evidence now that shows the impact on children that high quality early learning has, but also on families that might be working. There is that flexibility that gives families access to more close to home.”
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said the announcement means Maryborough will gain another kindergarten service at a time when regional communities are grappling with childcare shortages.
“As soon as we announced construction for the Avoca Early Learning Centre, I was swamped with families in Maryborough saying ‘what about Maryborough?’ so I am stoked construction is starting,” she said.
“It will have a huge impact on our employers, being able to get back to work.”
The centre will have 102 places per day for 66 three and four year old kinder places, and 36 zero to three year olds per day.
“This has been fully funded in last week’s State Budget, so there is a guarantee ... it will be ready and open for term one in 2028, with enrolments opening next year,” Ms Haylett said.
Construction is expected to start at the beginning of next year.
