Brown Hill Kindergarten to be expanded and upgraded

Families in the fast-growing suburb of Brown Hill will soon have access to upgraded kindergarten services due to a collaboration between the City of Ballarat and the State Government.

The Brown Hill Kindergarten, located near the Brown Hill Reserve in Reid Court, will undergo a $2.25 million enhancement and expansion to meet the growing demand in the area.

Member for Eureka, Michaela Settle visited the kindergarten on Thursday to announce the Victorian School Building Authority would contribute $750,000 to the project, via the 2024–25 Building Blocks Grants Improvement stream.

The City of Ballarat will fund the remaining $1.5 million as part of the project.

The upgrades will include a new 33-place kindergarten room, as well as improvements and an expansion to the existing outdoor area.

The expansion will result in the facility’s third kindergarten room, providing for a total of 99 places.

The project will also upgrade the carpark, air conditioning, entry to the service, internal play spaces, storage and staff areas. There will also be a new meeting room, entry door security and outdoor pathways added.

These improvements will increase safety and give children of all abilities new ways to socialise, develop, play and learn.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves welcomed the funding commitment from the State Government, which means the work can now progress towards finalising the design of the upgrade and tendering for construction.

It is expected the additional room will be ready to start catering to new children at the beginning of the first school term in 2027.

“We know that there is already a need for more facilities in the area and the kindergarten is nearing capacity in terms of what it can offer,” she said.

“We are appreciative of the State Government’s support in the project and look forward to delivering a vital upgrade for families in the area.”

Member for Eureka, Michaela Settle said the upgrades were vital in helping families.

"These upgrades are great for our community – they make it easier for parents and carers to get back to work or study, and they give our little learners a warm, supportive place to grow and thrive,” she said.

The City of Ballarat had advocated for an upgrade of the Brown Hill Kindergarten for a number of years, identifying the project on its Advocacy Priority Projects Pipeline and the Community Infrastructure Plan 2022-2037.

The Municipal Early Yars Plan 2022-2026 also highlights a goal to “advocate for, support, and provide investment in new and improved infrastructure where needed”.

Data from the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census shows that children aged under four-years-old represent 8.5 per cent of the Brown Hill population, well above the Victorian average of 5.8 per cent.

The population of Brown Hill has also increased significantly in recent years, highlighting the need for increased kindergarten facilities.

The existing kindergarten program will continue throughout the construction period, although there might be some alterations to accessing the facility. Safety will remain the ultimate priority for all users.  

Families interested in enrolling should visit the City of Ballarat’s kindergarten website.

The Brown Hill Kindergarten is owned by the City of Ballarat, with the Eureka Community Kindergarten Association operating the kindergarten program.