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Pre-conference activities

Early Childhood Australia will host a selection of pre-conference activities for delegates to make the most out of their conference experience on Wednesday 30 September 2026.

Tours can be booked online during the registration process—there are only a limited number of places available.

Cultural Tour

Service Tours

Cultural Tour

Koorie Heritage Trust walking tour

Step beyond the metal and glass cityscape to discover Naarm (Melbourne) through a different cultural lens.

We invite you to explore a unique experience in the heart of the city with the Koorie Heritage Trust’s Aboriginal Guided Walking Tours.

Led by knowledgeable First Peoples guides, these authentic and immersive tours invite visitors to look beyond the cityscape and understand the deep cultural history of Naarm and the Birrarung (Yarra River), and appreciate the continuing connection to the living cultures of Victorian First Peoples.

Designed for international and domestic visitors alike, these experiences provide a powerful and meaningful way to explore beyond the city streets.

Tour details

Cost: $62.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 11.00 am
Return: 12.00 pm
Duration of tour: 60 mins
Max number: 20
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat, sunscreen and a water bottle

Register now

Service tours

Service Tour 1: Learning through connection on the Mornington Peninsula

Discover early learning services across the Mornington Peninsula where children’s learning is shaped by connections to family, community and Country. This tour highlights nature-based experiences, collaborative partnerships and inclusive practice, showing how local environments can support wellbeing, belonging and growth.

  • Aldercourt Child and Family Centre

Aldercourt Kindergarten, on the Aldercourt Primary School site in Frankston North, provides a ‘one-door hub’ linking kindergarten, school and community services. Managed by not-for-profit Community Kinders Plus, the kindergarten educates children through experienced teachers and educators, with additional inclusion and School Readiness Funding staff. The Frankston North community faces significant disadvantage, rapid population growth and high developmental vulnerability among children. Many families experience complex needs, including child protection involvement, disability, developmental delay and health concerns. In response, the kindergarten prioritises collaborative partnerships (e.g. Frankston North Education Plan, Our Place), continuity of learning with the school, shared assessment and planning, and targeted teaching to build communication, social and emotional skills. Integrated supports—health access, playgroups, allied health, parent capacity-building, trauma-informed practice and material aid—strengthen engagement and improve outcomes.

  • Capel Sounds Educational Child Care Centre (CSECCC)

Capel Sounds is a family-run service that has been operating since 2010. The building is a converted church with a homely feel, and the service has large outdoor yards where children are given time, space and trust to explore their ideas and engage in rich, self-directed learning. The service is close to the beach, wetlands and a tree-climbing area. All children participate in regular excursions focused on nature, and these outings form part of the service’s philosophy and programs. The team has built strong, respectful relationships throughout the local community and works closely with the local foreshore committee and rangers. The service has a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and caring for Country, which is woven through its pedagogy and practices. The team is committed to learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and embedding these understandings in ways that are meaningful, respectful and ongoing. The service works in partnership with families to support the best outcomes for all children.

  • Balnarring Pre-School

Balnarring Pre-School is a standalone preschool run by a committee of management. Three philosophical pillars guide the service’s pedagogy and practice: connecting children with nature, learning about First Nations Peoples’ cultures and stories, and building relationships (people and the environment). The four- and three-year-old programs spend one day a week learning in beach and bush environments. The service works closely with Boonwurrung Elder N’Arwee’t Carolyn Briggs. This relationship has led to the service publishing four Boonwurrung stories and running conferences and festivals—all of which honour and celebrate First Nations Peoples. When visiting this service, participants will hear the team’s thoughts on the importance of connecting children with nature and will have the opportunity to view all learning environments.

Tour details

Cost: $185.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 8.00 am
Return: 4.45 pm
Duration of tour: Approx. 8.5 hours
Max number: 20
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat and a water bottle

Register now

Service Tour 2: Child-led learning and relationships

Explore how children thrive when educators build learning around relationships, listening and shared inquiry. From Reggio-influenced practice to inclusive, community-connected settings, the tour showcases environments where children lead, ideas are valued and learning grows through connection.

  • Monash Community Family Co-operative

Monash Community Family Co-operative (MCFCO) is a not-for-profit early childhood service on Boonwurrung Country, offering integrated early learning and kindergarten programs for 120 children from birth to five years. Deeply connected to the Monash University community, MCFCO is grounded in shared values of inclusion, relationships, partnerships and child-led learning. Visitors will experience a unique learning environment where seamless indoor-outdoor spaces, multi-age connections and sibling interactions foster a strong sense of belonging and community. Children’s voices are embedded and are evident in decisions about designing spaces and sharing perspectives on diversity and inclusion. Rich outdoor environments invite children to explore, problem-solve and build confidence while developing resilience and connection with Country and the natural world. Guided by relational pedagogy and reflective practice, educators co-construct meaningful learning experiences shaped by children’s agency and emerging interests.

  • Goodstart Vermont—Canterbury Road North

Goodstart Vermont North is a 120-place early learning service located in the heart of Vermont, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. The purpose-built environment includes six learning spaces, fully funded three-year-old and four-year-old kindergarten programs, and a centrally located family grouping room that fosters connection, collaboration and a strong sense of belonging. The service creates inclusive and responsive learning environments where children develop agency, independence and confidence. The multicultural team values and celebrates diversity, drawing on educators’ home languages to strengthen partnerships with families and support meaningful communication. The service also incorporates Auslan into its daily program to support inclusive communication and provide children with opportunities to engage with an additional language. Children engage in sustained shared thinking, inquiry-based learning and co-constructed play experiences alongside educators. The service embeds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives through regular ‘Walk on Country’ experiences, fostering respect, connection to Country and understanding of Australia’s First Nations histories and cultures.

  • Pope Road Kindergarten

Pope Road Kindergarten is a community, not-for-profit kindergarten for children aged three to five years. It’s a welcoming place where children, families and teachers encounter life and learning through the reciprocity of relationships, co-research, collaboration and participation. The learning program has a long history of being informed by the research and education project in Reggio Emilia, Italy, with a focus on learning through relationships. The kindergarten’s learning also reflects its commitment to reconciliation and learning alongside First Nations Peoples. Curriculum design evolves through a cycle of noticing, observation, reflection, intentionality and collaboration. Children’s potential, a culture of listening and the process of learning, within meaningful contexts are paramount. Educational documentation makes learning visible and supports children’s research. Teachers are supported to strengthen professional identity and purpose through robust dialogue, shared thinking and professional learning. Their play environment celebrates years of shared projects that weave the tapestry of the kindergarten’s history, present and future.

  • Methodist Ladies’ College—Kindle

Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC) Kindle is an Early Learning Centre committed to excellence in early childhood education and care. Inspired by the educational project of Reggio Emilia, and supported by innovative, professional and caring staff, the MLC learning community is guided by the values of engaging with respect, aspiring with responsibility, acting with compassion and exploring with courage. The Early Learning Centre was officially opened in 2000 with a Reggio Emilia approach influencing design elements such as natural light, open plan learning spaces and a multipurpose area. MLC Kindle is situated within the broader educational environment of Methodist Ladies’ College at 207 Barkers Road, Kew.

Tour details

Cost: $185.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 8.00 am
Return: 4.30 pm
Duration of tour: Approx. 8.5 hours
Max number: 20
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat and a water bottle

Register now

Service Tour 3: Creating environments for curious learners

See how educators design environments that spark curiosity, invite exploration and encourage discovery. Across a range of early learning settings, this tour showcases rich play-based programs, strong connections to place, and intentional spaces that support children’s belonging, agency and learning.

  • Ada Mary A’Beckett Children’s Centre

Ada Mary A’Beckett Children’s Centre is a community‑connected early learning service that values children as capable, curious and active participants in their world. The service believes learning is shaped through relationships, place and meaningful experiences, and honours children’s right to belong, contribute and be heard. The curriculum is grounded in respectful, strengths‑based practice and guided by a commitment to wellbeing, inclusion and citizenship for children. Through play, inquiry and intentional teaching, children are supported to explore ideas, build relationships, care for themselves and others, and develop a strong sense of identity and agency. Place‑based learning, including the long‑standing ‘Beach Discovery Program’, supports children to connect deeply with their local environment and community. Educators work collaboratively with families and partners to create consistent, responsive learning experiences that reflect children’s strengths, interests and voices, and position both children and educators as active contributors within and beyond our service.

  • Explorers Early Learning Brighton East

At Explorers Early Learning Brighton East, learning is viewed as a lifelong journey that begins in the earliest years. Learning for Life, the Explorers Curriculum, has been designed to support learning and creativity across all Explorers services, helping children explore, create and make sense of the world through curiosity, relationships and meaningful experiences. Influenced by the Reggio Emilia Approach and aligned with the National Quality Framework, it reflects Explorers’ commitment to intentional teaching and environments where children’s ideas, questions and discoveries are valued. Explorers Brighton East, rated as an Exceeding service, has embraced a conceptual and research approach to pedagogy, drawing from an organisational framework of Ecological Sensibility. Concepts orient the curriculum and are explored in a context of co-agency, where educators are intentional and children are listened to.

  • Haileybury Kindergarten (Brighton East Campus)

Haileybury Kindergarten is a sessional service located in the heritage precinct of Brighton East, welcoming 82 children each year for 38 weeks. Set within charming California bungalows, the Early Learning Centre (ELC) offers a nurturing and inspiring start to children’s educational journeys with the unique advantage of a seamless K-12 pathway at Haileybury. The play-based curriculum encourages curiosity, creativity and a love of learning, while experienced educators foster a warm, inclusive environment. Sustainability and care for Country are central, with regular outdoor experiences on Boonwurrung Country helping children connect with nature and understand the interdependence of all living things. The service celebrates each child’s individuality, ensuring their right to play, explore and build a strong sense of identity and wellbeing. At the heart of the ELC are children and families, supported by a united team committed to life-long learning, joy and a culture of care and connectedness.

  • St Kilda & Balaclava Kindergarten

St Kilda & Balaclava Kindergarten is a 115-year-old long day community-run kindergarten. Although it is an inner-city service, it has a large natural outdoor space that gives children the opportunity to engage in risky play experiences. The service has a rich program that includes trapeze classes, outings, an intergenerational program, a kitchen garden program and an ‘On Country’ program in the local area. Strong connections with the local community and a rich play-based program evoke curiosity and joy.
The service has a strong social justice philosophy and embeds practices around gender equity, reconciliation, sustainability, and respect and kindness for all. Their greatest strength is relationships with the children, families and the local community. The team are privileged to enact all these practices in a beautiful 100-year-old building for four-year-olds and a newly renovated award-winning three-year-old space.

Tour details

Cost: $185.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 8.15 am
Return: 4.00 pm
Duration of tour: Approx. 7.5 hours
Max number: 20
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat and a water bottle

Register now

Service Tour 4: Inclusive and integrated practice

Experience services where inclusion, wellbeing and integrated support are central to everyday practice. Participants will see how co-located early learning, family support, cultural connections and trauma-informed approaches work together to create responsive environments where children and families are supported to thrive.

  • Bubup Womindjeka Family and Children’s Centre

Bubup Womindjeka Family and Children’s Centre is a 155-place community-run, not-for-profit organisation providing integrated learning and care services to the community. Its programs include the early years program (long day care) and sessional kindergarten as well as community playgroups, a Maternal and Child Health Nurse and parenting support programs via the Port Phillip City Council. The service has recently set up a staff wellbeing room to support the team’s physical and mental wellbeing and is currently in the process of setting up a sensory room.

  • Gowrie Victoria—Broadmeadows Valley

Gowrie Victoria—Broadmeadows Valley service holds a third time Excellent Rating, proudly supporting a diverse community where children, families and educators learn alongside each other every day. Its indoor/outdoor program draws on natural environments and sensory focus, while its Arabic Language Program and On Country Kinder at Jacana Parklands connect children to language, culture and Country. The development of our Trauma-Informed Practice Guide supports educators to maintain consistent inclusive practices. The service partners with agencies including the Department of Education, local government, allied health services, child protection, MacKillop Family Services and Berry Street to ensure every family receives the support they deserve. Regular community outings to Baptcare Brookview Aged Care, the Hume Global Learning Centre and Broadmeadows Valley Primary School help children build strong connections and a sense of belonging. The service is deeply committed to embedding First Nations perspectives, which are woven throughout all programs and service approaches. It is a service where every family is welcomed, seen and supported.

  • Early Learning Victoria Muyan

Early Learning Victoria Muyan is a 130-place early learning centre operated by the Department of Education and co-located with the local primary school, providing a strong foundation for children as they transition to school. The service supports a diverse, multicultural community, with many families from Vietnamese backgrounds, and values the rich cultural perspectives this brings to the learning environment. A spacious multi-age outdoor area encourages children to explore, collaborate and learn together across age groups. As a place-based service, Early Learning Victoria Muyan works closely with a range of integrated services located on-site to provide holistic support for children and their families. It also offers playgroups and community programs that strengthen connections, promote inclusion and support the wellbeing of families within the service and the broader local community.

Tour details

Cost: $145.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 8.30 am
Return: 2.30 pm
Duration of tour: Approx. 6 hours
Max number: 20
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat and a water bottle

Register now

Service Tour 5: Belonging and community at the centre of practice

Explore early learning settings that prioritise belonging through inclusive practice, family partnerships and community connections. See diverse approaches to identity, agency and wellbeing, including bilingual offerings, nature-rich play and sustained school partnerships, demonstrating how responsive environments and intentional relationships support children’s confidence and long-term learning.

  • Windsor Community Children’s Centre

Windsor Community Children’s Centre is a community-run early learning service in Windsor catering for up to 54 children a day. The service focuses on sustainable, open-ended, loose-parts play and prides itself on its inclusive practices. Much of children’s time is spent in nature play—balancing risky play, child-led interests and intentional teaching across the service.

  • Renown Kindergarten

Renown is a community kindergarten conveniently located in South Yarra and has been providing children with their first schooling experience since 1920. Renown Kindergarten offers a dynamic learning program in a nurturing and safe environment for all children to explore, grow, learn and express their individuality. This journey takes place in the cosy environment of the historic buildings and playground, and is guided by dedicated teaching staff, with both Australian and French bilingual programs available.

  • Bialik College

Bialik College is a private comprehensive co-educational early learning, primary and secondary Jewish day school, located in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn.
The Bialik College Early Learning Centre (ELC) is an innovative and nurturing service that includes a centre for children from three months and, in a separate building, rooms for three- and four-year old kindergartens. Before and after school care and holiday programs are also based in the ELC.

Tour details

Cost: $145.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 9.15 am
Return: 3.15 pm
Duration of tour: Approx. 6 hours
Max number: 20
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat and a water bottle

Register now

Service Tour 6: City North walking and tram tour

Experience Melbourne’s inner north through early learning settings that are closely connected to families, schools and local community life. This walking and tram tour highlights innovative approaches to creativity, sustainability and integrated learning, alongside a visit to the University of Melbourne ECES Art Exhibition, capturing children’s thinking and expression through the visual arts.

  • University of Melbourne ECES Art Exhibition

Botany becomes a pathway to wonder as children from the three early learning centres explore the stories of plants through traditional and contemporary art practices. Drawing on cross-cultural craft traditions such as paper making, tapestry, basket weaving, painting and drawing, children investigate seeds, leaves, fibres and trees as living connections to Country and community. Guided by the wisdom of ancestral practices and the inspiration of contemporary artists, they discover how art can deepen ecological awareness and nurture respectful relationships with the natural world. Through sensory, creative and collaborative experiences, children explore the journey from the smallest seed to the vast presence of a giant tree, developing curiosity, care and a growing sense of environmental responsibility. Every seed becomes a source of wonder and a reminder of the shared responsibility to protect and sustain the living world.

  • Queensberry Children’s Centre

Queensberry Children’s Centre is a 96-place early learning service with six age-based playrooms and a fully integrated three- and four-year-old kindergarten program. It primarily supports families connected to the University, including staff and students, creating a diverse and collaborative community. Its educational approach is grounded in sustainability and a strong connection to the natural environment, encouraging children to develop respect for Country and the world around them. The service values risky play as an important part of children’s growth, supporting confidence, resilience and problem-solving skills. Programs are guided by inquiry-based learning and strength-based approaches, fostering curiosity, collaboration and inclusion. Creativity and self-expression are nurtured through the arts, with experiences enriched by dedicated visual language and music teachers.

  • Gowrie Carlton Learning Precinct

Gowrie Carlton Learning Precinct is a 98-place service co-located with Carlton Primary School. It offers sessional kindergarten and long day care programs as a part of Melbourne’s first integrated learning centre. At Carlton Learning Precinct, the team takes an adaptive, responsive, and culturally informed approach to children’s learning and development. The service welcomes all families, meeting them where they are and providing genuine, individualised support through strong partnerships and open-door policy. The diverse team reflects the community, speaking over 21 languages and engaging children and families in their home languages to foster belonging and identity. Co-location with Carlton Primary School supports smooth transitions and a strong sense of continuity for children and families from early learning through to primary school. The service collaborates with Maternal Child Health, Our Place and other community partners, to ensure a strong, holistic, and responsive approach to the wellbeing of children and families.

Tour details

Cost: $105.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 9.15 am
Return: 3.30 pm (delegates may return to MCEC or continue exploring Melbourne)
Duration of tour: Approx. 6 hours
Max number: 15
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat and a water bottle

Register now

Service Tour 7: Inner-city walking tour

This walking tour takes delegates through Melbourne’s CBD and Docklands, showcasing how inner-city early learning services create rich opportunities for exploration, creativity and connection through innovative indoor and outdoor learning environments. Participants will also experience a curated two-hour walking tour between services, ‘The Melbourne Story: From Old to New’, exploring Melbourne’s arcades, laneways, food culture and urban character.

  • Sentia Early Learning

Sentia Early Learning, established in 2006, is a beautiful space immersed in an atmosphere of safety and joy, crafted to inspire children, build their confidence and take their first steps toward a lifelong love of learning. Each day at Sentia is a story that gently unfolds as children gather experiences from meaningful exploration, curiosity and friendships. Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, the child care and kindergarten space actively encourages every child’s creativity, boundless imagination and their sense of wonder and play. The rooftop garden provides endless opportunities to connect with nature and experience the joys of a truly play-based childhood. Sentia Early Learning acts as a hub, creating a bridge for all families coming in and encouraging them to be part of the wider community.

  • Gowrie Victoria—The Harbour

Gowrie Victoria—The Harbour is an Exceeding-rated early learning and kindergarten service located in the heart of Docklands, Melbourne. The service provides innovative, play-based learning experiences across indoor and outdoor environments that inspire curiosity, creativity and a strong sense of belonging. It embraces multi-age learning opportunities, fostering meaningful relationships between children and creating rich environments where collaboration, leadership, empathy and peer learning naturally flourish. A standout feature of the service is the state-of-the-art rooftop outdoor learning environment, which offers children unique opportunities to engage with nature, challenge themselves physically and explore open-ended play in an urban setting. The indoor and outdoor programs are intentionally connected, allowing children to move seamlessly between spaces and extend their learning in ways that are meaningful to them. As a community-connected service, it maintains strong partnerships with local organisations, schools, cultural institutions, businesses and community groups throughout Docklands.

Tour details

Cost: $105.00
Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026
Departure: 10.00 am
Return: 3.00 pm
Duration of tour: Approx. 5 hours
Max number: 15
What to bring: Runners or walking shoes, a rain jacket, a sunhat and a water bottle

Register now