Building Blocks grant for Goldfields Children's Centre

Published on 30 June 2026

Goldfields Children’s Centre has been successful in receiving a $150,000 Victorian Government Building Blocks grant to undertake a renovation of the Centre’s large kinder yard.

The project will significantly enhance the Centre’s learning environment by incorporating a range of new natural elements designed to support open-ended play and foster children’s creativity and exploration.

A new sand pit, a yarning circle, bush food garden beds, natural log edging and log poles for slacklines along with new native plantings, will be some of the elements to be included.

Natural spaces promote children’s cognitive, emotional, and physical development by encouraging sensory engagement, fostering curiosity, reducing stress, and supporting social interactions. Access to greenery and nature also enhances problem-solving skills and imaginative play, while providing opportunities for children to discover local wildlife, engage in scientific inquiry, and develop observational skills, contributing to their holistic growth and well-being.

This project will increase the kinder yard play area by more than 78 square meters and offer children meaningful hands-on learning opportunities that promote environmental awareness, cultural understanding, and sensory engagement.

Children will benefit from a more flexible and stimulating environment where they can engage in longer periods of uninterrupted play and inquiry-based intentional teaching in natural spaces. The inclusion of features such as a cubby, wooden balance blocks, climbing wall and slackline directly respond to children’s interests, supporting their physical development and enthusiasm for active play.

This project will create a vibrant, culturally respectful, and educational space that nurtures environmental stewardship, community connection, and lifelong learning skills, contributing significantly to the overall quality and outcomes of Goldfields Children’s Centre’s kindergarten program.

Through the design and construction of the gardens we will engage with a local Aboriginal education group and local native plant nurseries, our gardens will include interactive elements that educate children about native species and local ecology. Learning through play can foster a sense of stewardship for the environment. Natural play structures, like logs or boulders, will be integrated with native plantings to create a more engaging and exploratory environment.

Central Goldfields Shire Council thanks the Victorian Government and the Member for Ripon, Martha Haylett, for their support.