Members of the Omeo community were delighted with today’s announcement by Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, of $650,000 in State funds for the Omeo Children’s Centre, a new facility for the town with a total cost of $862,000.

Families in Omeo were jumping for joy today with the announcement of $650,000 in State Government funding for Omeo Children’s Centre.

Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, joined Omeo and Tambo Valley families to officially announce the funding which he said had come after some significant advocacy from the local community.

Mr Bull said the $650,000 grant from the State and $215,000 from the Federal Government is fantastic news for current and future generations of children in Omeo and surrounding districts.

“Omeo children will soon have access to the very best integrated education and care services in their vital years before school.

"The local community has worked hard on this proposal and all credit to them. They have been comprehensive in their approach and have kept me informed and worked with me on this over a lengthy period of time. I pay full credit to the professional approach they have applied to this,” he said.

High Country Early Years Action Group spokesperson, Robert Boucher, said today’s announcement of funding for an integrated early years learning facility in Omeo is most exciting.

“For our community to have a purpose built facility that meets our children’s needs is fantastic.

“The High Country Early Years Action Group has worked together extremely well, with wide community consultation over an extended period, to enable this dream to become a reality. Today we are one step closer to this reality.
 
“As an educator I am acutely aware of the importance of the early years in a child’s development, and with today’s announcement we can look forward to our children and families in the high country having a bright and fulfilling future.

“It is brilliant that a community group can have its hard work acknowledged and be supported financially to lead to a project which will have a positive impact on so many families,” he said.

Mr Bull said the new centre, which will be co-located at Omeo Primary School, will provide 34 kindergarten places alongside playgroup, day care and visiting health services including allied health and maternal and child health.

“Building the early learning facility on the same site as the School is not only more convenient, it supports children to transition smoothly and more confidently into school,” Mr Bull said.

Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, Wendy Lovell, said investing in early years infrastructure was part of the Napthine Government’s plan to make Victoria a world leader in children’s learning and development.