Jamberoo Community Preschool director Belinda Hibbert is hoping that community support will help find the funds for the new centre. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
The relocation of a beloved but flood-ridden Jamberoo preschool is one step closer with Kiama Council’s adoption of the Local Housing Strategy providing fresh hope of a new home, if enough funds can be raised.
A new site for Jamberoo Community Preschool is set to be secured, with the centre promised a plot by developer of an upcoming nearby subdivision on the condition that the council approve the strategy.
“Part of the deal with the Fountaindale Group was if the housing strategy was adopted they would donate a parcel of land to us in the Stage 2 development of Golden Valley,” preschool director Belinda Hibbert said.
“If it didn’t happen, I don’t know what we were going to do; we’ve been relying on this.”
The preschool has been plagued by flooding for years, causing stress for both the staff and children who attend.
“It’s physically and emotionally draining,” Belinda said. “I stress all the time about it.”
She said even preparing for floods with sandbags caused anxiety for the youngsters, who were concerned and confused about what it all meant.
“It really affects the kids when it hasn’t even flooded, so imagine if it flooded while we were here and we had to evacuate,” Belinda said. “That trauma will stay with those children forever.”
And the effort to reduce risk and minimise damage every time there was a significant rain prediction was laborious.
“We lock up here, we plastic up the walls, sandbags, all the furniture up on tables, all the carpets on tables and then it doesn’t flood and we’ve got it all back before families start arriving at 8 o’clock,” Belinda said.
The preschool’s future has been identified as a key priority by both Kiama Municipal Council and the local community, which have continued to support the centre through months of uncertainty.
“Our lease is up in July 2028. We thought we had to be out by then, but then they [the council] put a motion forward that was approved that they would support us in this space until we were ready,” Belinda said.
As the only preschool in Jamberoo, the centre is highly sought after, with 150 children on the waiting list.
It has been loved within the community for decades, with families forging a strong connection with the centre.
“It’s just calmer, it’s more relaxed and I think it comes down to the higher staff-to-child ratios as well because we have more time to sit with the children, listen to them, talk to them, bond with them,” Belinda said.
“We have kids come back here from five years ago and they’re so happy to see us. It is heartwarming.”
And even though a new preschool would mean a shiny upgrade, Belinda is making sure it doesn’t lose its character.
“For me, our natural environment here and the way we’re set up that we do an indoor/outdoor program all day is something really important that we want to keep, and I have talked to the developer about that country charm,” she said.
“I don’t want one of these brand-new centres that look like a doctors’ surgery. We’re talking about doing weatherboard and making it still look like that farm, rural type of feel.”
But there are still some hurdles before it becomes a reality, with the funds for the build itself not yet secured.
“Now it means we need to find money to build a preschool,” Belinda said.
“It was really hard to apply for grants unless we had that land, so it’s been one of those Catch 22s where we needed money to build but we couldn’t get it because we didn’t have anywhere to build it.
“I’m in a mad panic to find grants and funding, but there’s still a long way to go.”
The Golden Valley development site will still need to undergo rezoning before development applications can be lodged.
And Belinda’s hoping the community will rally behind the centre once more to make it a reality.
“If there are people out there that know of funding opportunities or want to donate to the preschool, we’re putting together a case for support and we will get that out to the community hopefully soon.
“For us, it’s about figuring out how we’re going to pay for it – going to the Department of Education and I guess lots and lots of fundraising.”
To find out more about the centre or to reach out, visit the Jamberoo Community Preschool website.
