November 12th, 2025More kinders for regional Victoria
More families in regional Victoria will soon have access to new kindergarten facilities.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn announced up to $14.62 million for a new Building Blocks Partnership which will deliver four new kinders in Greater Shepparton, Baranduda in Wodonga City, and North Bendigo and Huntly in Greater Bendigo.
The modular kinders will be co-located with Catholic primary schools, providing more than 472 kindergarten places for local families.
Each centre will support three and four-year-old kindergarten programs, with facilities designed to meet the needs of growing communities.
The new centres will be located at:
- St Thomas Aquinas Primary School in Huntly – with one kinder room opening in 2027 and a second in 2028
- St Peter’s Catholic Primary School in Long Gully – two kinder rooms opening in 2027
- St Francis Of Assisi Primary School in Baranduda – two kinder rooms opening in 2029
- St Anne’s College in Kialla – two kinder rooms opening in 2029
The partnership brings the total number of Building Blocks Partnerships to 20 – including 17 with local councils and three with non-government school organisations – delivering 117 new and expanded kindergartens for Victorians.
More than 145,000 children and their families are saving up to $2,600 per child each year through Free Kinder, which is available at 97 per cent of funded kindergartens across the state.
