COHUNA is a step closer to getting a long-awaited early learning centre.
Gannawarra Shire Council’s Exploring Care and Education in Cohuna final report, which found that Cohuna is in need of a childcare centre, was presented to councillors at the February 2023 council meeting.
“Council is pleased to have worked with the organisers of a community-led campaign calling for long day-care options for Cohuna and district, which resulted in the development of this report,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said.
Cohuna mum Tenielle Edge, who has struggled to find adequate childcare for her family and has been a dedicated advocate for childcare in Cohuna for the past few years, said she was “stoked” at the report’s findings.
“It has just been such a big relief after all of the frustration and the hard work and everything,” Ms Edge told the Gannawarra Times. “It kind of feels like it is all playing off now and we get to start reaping the benefits,”
A key finding was that an Early Learning Centre should be created at Cohuna Consolidated School in order to provide childcare places and support the rollout of the state government’s pre-Prep program, which is set to begin in the shire in 2025.
“They looked at a few different locations, but I always thought that Cohuna Consolidated School would be the best place just because of the space that they have and the location of it in town,” Ms Edge said.
The report was put together based off community surveys that were completed back in October.
“There were 269 responses from families and businesses, and then 10 families in Cohuna and surrounds had a one-on-one consultation with the consultant and just answered some more in-depth questions about their experiences and their needs for the town,” Ms Edge said.
Ms Edge, who was a part of the process of creating the childcare surveys alongside an experienced consultant and the council, said they were shocked at how many residents and businesses participated in the surveys.
“The consultant was blown away by the response,” she said.
“She thought that we would get a few, but she couldn’t believe how quick everyone came to assist with the project.
“Without them, we wouldn’t have gotten the report that we did, and it is a very persuasive report – it is black and white that this needs to happen and it’s because of everyone’s participation.”
The next step is to gain the funding needed to complete the project.
“So now we start applying for grants and gets some designs of what we would like to see and get the ball really moving, which is really exciting,” Ms Edge said.
“Because of the announcement with the kindergarten changes, there are a lot of grants out there with the government and the Department of Education.”
But for Ms Edge and many other parents in Cohuna and the surrounding areas, a dream they had only hoped for is finally within reach.
“It doesn’t feel like a too-distant project that we should see finally taking place, but things take time and it is important to be patient,” Ms Edge said.
“But it finally feels like this is actually going to happen, it’s paying off.”
