Childcare boost: 50 spots by Easter 2026, and more to come

It will be made possible thanks to a generous Deniliquin district-based donor, who has not been revealed.

The centre will be operated by Aspire OSHC from the Deniliquin ELC building, which will be significantly renovated and extended.

Aspire is also working with another developer to construct a second Deniliquin centre, which would take up to 90 children.

Aspire director Michael Rasmussen said without the support of the local donor, the cost of bringing the ELC building on Hardinge St up to standard would have been out of reach for the early education provider.

“We already have centres in West Wyalong and Wagga, and we’re currently building another in Wagga and one in Cootmundra,” Mr Ramussen said.

“We’re constantly looking at and identifying other opportunities in regional areas, and as a business partner has connections in Deniliquin we started looking there.

“We then saw an existing provider had closed, and the building they were in was for sale.

“We came across to look at buying and taking over the business, but after a walk through, we realised the building was just not suitable and would require too much investment.”

Mr Rasmussen said after having to walk away from that opportunity, he received a phone call with a generous offer of help.

“A local contacted us and said they would purchase the building and do all the work required, if we would agree to run the centre,” he said.

“They came to us and said this is something the town needs.

“We intend to open it with increased places, taking up to 50 children, and we hope to have it open by Easter.”

Mr Rasmussen said Aspire will also continue to work toward opening a second centre, which will be a new build.

“We’re in the very early stages of planning, but we’re aiming to offer 80 to 90 places.

“If everything goes as planned, we hope we may have it completed by the end of 2026.”

Mr Ramussen said while he understands families will be keen to put their names down for a place at either centre, he said they’re not quite ready to accept expressions of interest or registrations yet.

More information will be provided to the public when EOIs open.

Aspire’s plans to increase childcare places in the Deniliquin district are among several being investigated to try and fill a huge gap in service provision.

Local studies have identified more than 300 children currently on childcare local wait lists, representing more than 70 per cent of children aged 0-5 without access to formal care.

Edward River Council has been working with government and providers on potential solutions.

Last month it entered an arrangement with River Regional Early Education, offering use of Perrin Park for minimal rent for the construction of a new 110-place childcare centre.

Council and NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton have already secured a $1 million pledge of funding from Origin Energy for the project, which is dependent on construction of the Yanco Delta Wind Farm project.

Lobbying for additional funding has already begun.

Riverina Christian College has also agreed to look at whether its long term strategic goal to provide early childhood places at its west Deniliquin campus can be brought forward.

In the meantime, the NSW Government continues to work toward construction of a new preschool on the Deniliquin South School site.

Funding for the preschool was allocated in the state budget in February 2024 and a contractor appointed in July this year. It is expected to be operational by early 2027.

The Pastoral Times understands other opportunities for early childhood education places are also being investigated in the community, but details have not been made public at this stage.