You need care from a particular month, perhaps on two set weekdays, and you’ve heard a nearby centre is being built or expanded. Before adding it to your shortlist, put its estimated opening beside the date you need to start.
Check the announced opening estimate
| Location and provider | Project type | Estimated opening and announcement date | Planned capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodstart Lalor, VIC | New service | Early 2029 (1 October 2026 announcement) | Up to 87 places |
| Goodstart Trevallyn, TAS | New service | Early 2028 (1 October 2026 announcement) | Up to 69 places |
| REED Merredin, WA | Expansion | Later in 2027 (1 October 2026 announcement) | Adds 35 places; total 71 |
| SDN Hamilton St, Bathurst, NSW | Expansion | By the second quarter of 2028 (1 October 2026 announcement) | Adds 24 places; total 76 |
| Naracoorte Child Day Care Centre, SA | Relocation and expansion | Early 2029 (2 October 2026 announcement) | Adds 55 places; total 90 |
The second quarter means April to June. These are announced estimates, not confirmed opening dates. Planned capacity describes the intended size of a service; it doesn’t confirm current vacancies or a place for your child on the days you need.
Understand what the funding covers
The Australian Government’s Building Early Education Fund provides capital funding: money to build new early childhood education and care services or expand existing ones in areas of need. These announcements concern service buildings and infrastructure, rather than cash payments to individual families.
Check what operates now
Naracoorte’s project involves moving the existing service to the former TAFE site and expanding it. It isn’t a separate additional 90-place centre. According to the 2 October 2026 release, the Park Terrace service will keep operating there until the new centre is completed.
Preschool, allied health, parenting programs and community services are planned for the future hub. If you need care before the move, ask the existing centre about your required days.
Put your start period beside the estimate
Suppose you need Tuesdays and Thursdays from February 2027. That start falls before every estimate in the table, so enquire separately about care options for that period. You might still want updates on a nearby project for later.
If your intended start falls within an announced opening period, an enquiry could help you decide whether to keep the service on your shortlist. For Trevallyn, for example, compare your preferred start with the dated estimate above, then ask about your child’s age group and required days. A possible timing match is a reason to ask more questions.
Send an enquiry with the details that matter
The announcements don’t establish whether waitlist applications or expressions of interest are open. Check with the provider before trying to register.
Here’s an illustrative enquiry you can adapt:
Example enquiry: Hello, I’m asking about your planned service or expansion. We’re looking for Tuesdays and Thursdays from [month/year], when my child will be [age]. What opening estimate are you currently working towards? Is there an expression-of-interest process, and how can we receive updates?
You could also ask:
- Which age groups are planned?
- When might availability for our required days be known?
- If an expression-of-interest process exists, what does registering mean?
- Will visits be offered, and how would families hear about them?
- What current arrangements apply while the project proceeds?
Use these as conversation starters; each provider will need to explain its own arrangements.
Write down three details
Note when you need care, your child’s age then and the days you need before contacting the provider. A useful reply can clarify what’s known now, what remains undecided and how you can hear about changes.