ACTION 5 – ECEC
This forms part of the Central Highlands Workforce Development and Accommodation Strategy.
PROGRESS REPORT
2024
A meeting with Astute, CLA’s Executive Management, took place on May, 2024 to begin conversations around collaborative opportunities for the Central Highlands region.
Astute invited to attend the July WAC meeting.
The third WAC was held on Thursday, 18 July 2024, with guest speaker Mel Comerford from Astute Early Learning discussing the Childcare Leadership Alliance and the recruitment strategy they implemented for Moranbah and Dysart. Several childcare centres from within the region were also in attendance. The presentation and strategies were well received from WAC members and attendees from the childcare industry in region.
9 August, 2024: CLA provide CHDC with Phase 1 – Assessment & Analysis with a primary focus on childhood education and care in Blackwater and Emerald. Phase 1 is intended to be implemented as the first of four phases of work.
12 August, 2024: CHDC submitted an application for funding under the GYO (Grow Your Own) Regional Workforce Program Round 3 to kick start Action 5 of the WDAS—Childcare Leadership Alliance in the Central Highlands.
18 September, 2024: CHDC secured funding under the Grow Your Own (GYO) Regional Workforce Program Round 3, administered by Jobs Queensland through DESBT. The funding will support Phase 1 of the Childcare Leadership Alliance in the Central Highlands, which supports the primary focus on childhood education and care in Blackwater and Emerald.
25 November, 2024: CHDC, CLA, Infinitum, and regional ECEC stakeholders met to discuss the successful GYO funding and next steps in the project.
2025
8 January, 2025: Three-month project report summitted to Jobs Queensland.
January, 2025: CHDC, CLA, Infinitum, and Jobs Queensland came together to discuss the Enhancing Early Childhood Education and Care (EECEC) project progress. A page dedicated to the EECEC project was created on the CHDC website and continues to be regularly updated. See EECEC.
28 January, 2025: Contact with all RTOs delivering Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care across Australia begins so the landscape of registered training organisations offering ECEC qualifications in the Central Highlands is transparent to project stakeholders.
6 February, 2025: CLA arrives in the Central Highlands to begin on-the-ground engagement with Blackwater educators.
10 February, 2025: CLA arrives in Emerald to begin engagement with educators.
Additional information on the EECEC project can be found here.
March, 2025: CHDC, in partnership with Astute Early Years Specialists and Infinitum Consulting, co-designed and released a regional childcare survey in March 2024. The survey was open until 11 April and will help guide local community engagement through the upcoming Childcare Chats in community.
4 April, 2025: a CHDC-designed ad promoting our local childcare survey appeared on the front page of Emerald Today on April 5, 2025. The campaign also includes advertising across LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google Ads to encourage community input.
5 April, 2025: Childcare Chats community sessions confirmed for:
- Blackwater – Saturday, 7 June at Dempsey Park
- Emerald – Sunday, 8 June at Centenary Park
- These events include free face painting, BBQs, kids’ activities, and cookies. They are designed to promote real conversations with local families and educators about childcare access, challenges, and ideas for improvement.
11 April, 2025: the Community childcare survey officially closes with 243 responses collected from across Blackwater and Emerald. Data analysis underway to identify trends, barriers, and opportunities.
30 April, 2025: Winners of the community survey prize draw have been chosen. Participants from Blackwater and Emerald each received a $100 dining voucher as a token of appreciation from the community.
1 May, 2025: CHDC started promoting the Childcare Chats using new marketing materials. Event details were published on CHDC’s website in the Events section, as well as on the EECEC project and WDAS Action 5 pages.
7–8 June, 2025: Childcare Chats held in Blackwater and Emerald
CHDC hosted two successful Childcare Chats as part of Action 5 – Childcare Leadership Alliance. These informal community sessions brought together local families and educators to share insights on childcare needs, access, and the challenges they face. Feedback gathered will inform the next phase of the EECEC project.
June, 2025: CheckUP Australia, in collaboration with Jobs Queensland and CHDC, jointly promoted a range of free workforce tools and access to Industry Workforce Advisors specifically for the Early Childhood Education and Care industry in the region. This initiative aims to raise awareness of the additional resources available to the sector through government programs.
For further information view the Free Workforce Tools flyer here: Workforce Planning Tools – CheckUp Central Highlands
1 July, 2025: As part of the EECEC project, CHDC launched a four-part webinar series throughout July 2025 to support early childhood education and care services in growing their workforce and improving staff utilisation. Delivered by Astute Early Years Specialists, the sessions attracted strong registrations and covered key topics including strategic rostering, sustainable staffing, and building future-ready workforce models. Recordings will be shared with all registered participants.
Click the following link to view the recordings: Childcare Leadership Alliance
14 July, 2025: The Workforce Accommodation Collective (WAC) reconvened in Emerald, and was jointly held with the Central Highlands Regional Roundtable (CHRR). The session included a WDAS update, and a deeper dive into the EECEC project.
August, 2025: CHDC raised the concept of a regional pathway for educators to complete the TAE qualification, enabling them to become trainers and assessors and helping address gaps in local training delivery. DTET is progressing internal discussions on this concept and will provide further advice.
28 August, 2025: CHDC held discussions with leaders and representatives from the Early Childhood Education and Care sector in Emerald and Blackwater. As the EECEC project with Jobs Queensland nears its conclusion, CHDC shared the draft findings and recommendations for feedback.
August 2025: The EECEC Project identified a vacant Department of Education building on Wey Street, Blackwater as a critical underutilised asset to address the town’s severe “childcare desert”.
9 September, 2025: CHDC and Infinitum Partners shared draft findings and recommendations from the EECEC project with the Department of Education.
31 October, 2025: CHDC submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Workforce Connect Fund (WCF) Round 3 to expand regional Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) initiatives. This initial stage focused on aligning the project’s digital and workforce goals with the specific criteria of the fund.
Strategic Board Reporting. A summary of the WCF EOI project was prepared for the upcoming board report.
5 December, 2025: Findings and recommendations from the EECEC project were released to stakeholders and the public. This included a full media release and a summary document detailing the roadmap for regional childcare improvements. Download a copy of the findings summary here and read the full media release here.
11 December, 2025: CHDC CEO Peter Dowling formally briefed local MP Sean Dillon, listing the Wey Street facility as an “immediate next action” for feasibility work regarding long-day care in Blackwater.
15 December, 2025: After the EECEC project concluded and findings were promoted, the Department of Education arranged a follow-up meeting with CHDC and regional stakeholders, including Whitehaven Coal, to explore potential opportunities for the Wey Street building.
January 2026
CHDC participated in discussions with the Department of Education and industry stakeholders regarding the potential future use of the Wey Street site in Blackwater for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Following this meeting, Whitehaven Coal provided a letter of support to accompany the Department’s internal brief regarding possible options for the site.
CHDC and Infinitum Partners met with Family Day Care Queensland to formalise partnership opportunities associated with the next stage of the Workforce Connect Fund (WCF) application.
Following the successful Expression of Interest in late 2025, CHDC submitted a comprehensive Workforce Connect Fund Stage 2 application to the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training.
An update on the WCF Stage 2 application was provided to the CHDC Board, outlining project objectives, milestones, and emerging partnership opportunities.
February 2026
CHDC met with C&K Childcare & Kindergarten Head Office to discuss opportunities to expand Early Childhood Education and Care in Blackwater. The meeting responded to findings from the Enhancing Early Childhood Education and Care (EECEC) project, which identified a significant shortage of places for children aged 0–3 years. Discussions explored potential service expansion, new facilities, and suitability of relevant funding programs, including the Federal Building Early Education Fund (BEEF).
CHDC shared information with regional stakeholders regarding the Child Care Community Fund (Round 5) and the Building Early Education Fund (Large‑scale). Localised data from the EECEC project and letters of support were provided to assist prospective applicants.
CHDC requested discussions with Central Highlands Regional Council officers regarding potential council‑owned sites in Blackwater, in the context of C&K’s interest in applying for the Federal Building Early Education Fund. CHDC supported early site‑based enquiries and coordination to understand eligibility considerations and process requirements associated with the grant.
CHDC attended a Department of Education Deputation at Council relating to Early Childhood partnerships and program delivery.
CHDC supported C&K through the early stages of the Federal BEEF program by providing regional data, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and assisting with preliminary land suitability investigations, noting that land tenure and delivery pathways would be subject to further assessment by asset owners and government.
March 2026
CHDC facilitated briefings between C&K and representatives from the Blackwater resources sector to share information about the Federal Building Early Education Fund and explore potential partnership opportunities that could support workforce participation and service sustainability.
CHDC coordinated a follow‑up session with regional resource sector stakeholders to discuss a proposed partnership framework addressing key considerations such as land access, workforce housing, and long‑term viability of ECEC services in Blackwater.
C&K Childcare & Kindergarten submitted a formal application to the Australian Government’s Building Early Education Fund for a proposed new ECEC facility in Blackwater. The application seeks funding to expand childcare capacity and is now subject to Federal assessment processes.
April 2026
CHDC met with Central Highlands Regional Council senior leadership and planning representatives to discuss strategic considerations associated with council‑owned land in Blackwater, in the context of potential future ECEC infrastructure.
CHDC continued advocacy and coordination discussions with Council and partners regarding land tenure processes and alignment with Federal funding requirements associated with the Building Early Education Fund application.
The Department of Education advised that further consideration of options regarding the Wey Street site would be paused pending the outcome of C&K’s Federal BEEF application, to ensure any future investment aligns with long‑term service sustainability.
CHDC met with Government Employee Housing and C&K to discuss high‑level considerations relating to a state‑owned site in Blackwater as a potential long‑term option should future funding opportunities become available.
CHDC was approached by the Department of Trade, Employment and Training (DTET) in April to apply to the NextGen: Industry-Led Solutions program, which supports industry to develop the next generation of skilled VET trainers and assessors, with a focus on regional areas.
Remember to check out our page dedicated to the Enhancing Early Childhood Education and Care (EECEC) project here, including the findings summary.
May 2026
CHDC provided direct application support to Borilla Kindergarten for their capital submission to the Australian Government’s Building Early Education Fund (BEEF) to expand early learning capacity in Emerald, primarily for the 0-3 age range. CHDC actively spearheaded site-based enquiries to assist Borilla Kindergarten in sourcing suitable land, while liaising with Central Highlands Regional Council to understand land tenure options, zoning eligibility considerations, and necessary process approvals.
CHDC supported Family Day Care Queensland (FDCQ) with their capital funding submission under the Federal Building Early Education Fund (BEEF) Small-Scale Grant Round. CHDC reviewed suitable land options available in Springsure, including properties with existing dwellings that can be renovated to meet the safety and compliance standards of an in-venue FDC. CHDC sourced and engaged local builder HWC Building Contractors to conduct an on-site inspection of an identified Springsure property to generate a comprehensive cost estimate for submission. Concurrently, CHDC secured site access and liaised directly with Central Highlands Regional Council planning officers to understand relevant local government planning parameters and the way to navigate the development pathway.
June 2026
CHDC developed a proposal for a pilot to build local trainer/assessor capacity in the Central Highlands Early Childhood Care and Education sector, directly addressing the in-region training gap identified through the EECEC project. The application was submitted in June.
July 2026
CHDC held a Strategic and Briefing Forum deputation with Central Highlands Regional Council (CHRC) on 21 July 2026 to formally advance the case for a Blackwater childcare site under the Federal Building Early Education Fund (BEEF).
Following the deputation, on 22 July 2026 Council responded via Acting CEO Graeme Kanofski, advising that both 18 and 22 Blain Street could not be made available within the required BEEF timeframes due to land tenure processes, planning compatibility considerations, and statutory decision-making requirements. Council noted its 2026‑27 Operational Plan includes a vacant land review to establish a consistent basis for retention, disposal and strategic use of Council‑owned land.
CHDC’s Enhancing Early Childhood Education and Care (EECEC) project was shortlisted by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) for the Regionalisation Dialogue Day 2026 in the Ready to Scale category. RAI categorised the project under Productivity & Innovation, with the framing ‘Redefining childcare as workforce infrastructure.’
Regional Development Coordinator Deborah Barns presented at the online Ready to Scale session — one of six presenters. Panel feedback described the project as ‘a fabulous example of something that is creating actual results on the ground, not just a concept’ with ‘the potential to be scalable and have a significant impact.’
CHDC published an eNews update — Staying in the Race: An Early Childhood Update — providing a public update to community and stakeholders on the Workforce Connect Fund outcome, the live NGILS application to support in-region training, and CHDC’s continued advocacy for regional childcare investment. Authored by Regional Development Coordinator Deborah Barns.
August 2026
CHDC was advised that the Enhancing Early Childhood Education and Care project has been selected to present in-person at Regionalisation Dialogue Day 2026 in Canberra on 15 September 2026.
The Department of Education notified CHDC and Family Day Care Queensland that the BEEF Small-Scale application for Springsure had been ruled ineligible on tenure grounds. The department confirmed that a letter from Council indicating tenure was being actively pursued did not constitute evidence of secure tenure at the time of application — the same land-tenure-versus-grant-timeframe barrier identified elsewhere in the region.
After multiple follow-ups, CHDC received formal notification that its Workforce Connect Fund (WCF) Stage 2 application was unsuccessful. The application, developed in partnership with Family Day Care Queensland following a successful Expression of Interest in late 2025, sought to expand regional workforce infrastructure for the ECEC sector. CHDC provided constructive feedback to the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training on decision timeframes and process communication, and continues to advocate for funding programs that recognise regional workforce infrastructure needs.
September 2026
A Springsure community member independently initiated advocacy on childcare access — running a local community survey (30+ responses within 24 hours) and writing to Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor, Sean Dillon MP and Colin Boyce MP before discovering the EECEC project. CHDC is engaging directly to share findings and coordinate community-led momentum with existing sector work.
CHDC is chasing the status of the vacant former C&K kindergarten in Springsure — a purpose-built ECEC facility understood to be Council-owned — as a potential accelerated pathway for future ECEC delivery.
CHDC is reconvening the Blackwater mine operators group for a formal update session, with C&K attending to present its current position under the Building Early Education Fund (large scale) directly.
CHDC is introducing Family Day Care Queensland to the resources sector to explore on‑site, in‑venue family day care models that can operate alongside existing workforce arrangements in Blackwater.
CHDC attended the Regions Rising National Summit at Parliament House on 14 September 2026, engaging with parliamentarians, industry leaders, and regional development counterparts on the full breadth of CHDC’s Workforce Development and Accommodation Strategy — including workforce infrastructure, regional aviation, housing supply, talent attraction and industry investment.
CHDC presented the Enhancing Early Childhood Education and Care project at the Regional Australia Institute’s Regionalisation Dialogue Day 2026 on 15 September at Hotel Realm, Canberra. Regional Development Coordinator Deborah Barns delivered the 5-7 minute in-person pitch — CHDC being one of four Ready to Scale projects (from 12 shortlisted across three categories nationally).
CHDC lodged a submission (Submission 23) to the Senate Education and Employment References Committee inquiry into the state of Australia’s early childhood education and care system in rural, regional and remote communities. Drawing on findings from the Enhancing Early Childhood Education and Care (EECEC) project, the submission highlighted the ECEC service and workforce gaps facing communities like Blackwater and Emerald — including the shortage of places for children aged 0–3, the in-region training and trainer/assessor gap, and the barriers to attracting and retaining educators. CHDC’s EECEC project report and the accompanying recommendations report were provided as attachments. The inquiry is due to report on 29 June 2027. Access CHDC’s submission here.