A new children’s centre with a rebuilt two-room kindergarten and three maternal and child health consult rooms has opened its doors in St Albans.
As part of the project, the Epalock Crescent Kindergarten has been expanded to provide additional sessional places for local children.
The modular kinder, located near several primary schools, now has the capacity for an extra 33 kindergarten places for three and four-year-olds.
This is the first local two-room modular facility delivered under the Victorian government’s Building Block grants scheme — with $2 million provided by the state, and $524,000 contributed by council to complete the project.
Brimbank mayor Thuy Dang said the delivery of this co-funded facility means more local families have access to a high-quality education program closer to home.
“We are proud to be delivering more local kinder places for families in St Albans, ensuring young children get access to early education and childhood development,” she said.
“The construction of the new Epalock Children’s Centre is an important project for the municipality and reflects the increasing needs of this fast-growing community.”
Modular kindergartens like the Epalock centre are constructed off site in a factory, in sections known as modules, to take advantage of faster construction times which minimise disruptions.
Builders then assemble the modules on site before connecting utilities, completing outdoor play areas and landscaping grounds.
St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman, said positioning kindergartens on or close to schools supports children to get the most out of their early learning, makes drop-off more convenient for busy parents and carers, and helps with a smoother transition to primary school.
“This upgraded kinder in St Albans will give children the opportunity to attend a great local kindergarten, so our littlest learners get the best start in life,” she said.
According to the council, there is an increasing demand for sessional kindergarten in the municipality, with the Registration & Enrolment team having registered 2500 children for kindergarten in 2025 across Brimbank.
As part of Kindergarten Readiness Month, Epalock Crescent Kindergarten will be open on Wednesday, March 19 for families to explore and learn more about the kindergarten program.
