Goodstart Kangaroo Flat

17A Church Street, KANGAROO FLAT, 3555, VIC

6:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday
Open every weekday of the year, except public holidays

Nursery, Toddler, Kindergarten

Our Centre has four warm and thoughtfully designed learning environments supporting smooth transitions and minimising overwhelm for children. Every indoor environment is set up with a strong focus on emotional regulation, belonging, and safety, supporting the needs of children who may have experienced trauma or require additional reassurance. We offer:

A dedicated 4-Year-Old Kindergarten yard for confident, independent exploration
A shared Toddler and 3-Year-Old yard, designed for connection, co learning, and shared social play.
A calm, dedicated Nursery yard created to support secure attachments, predictable routines, and confident exploration in a safe and nurturing space.

With beautiful natural outdoor spaces including: sensory gardens, mud kitchen, three spacious sandpits, well established trees providing natural shade and water misters in each yard for those hot days!

Curriculum and Early Learning Programs

Our programs are designed for children from six weeks to school age, guided by:

The Three to Five Outcomes Framework
The Birth to Three Outcomes Framework
The Quality Rating Scales (QRS)
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF)

Our educators intentionally plan experiences that support children’s interests, sensory needs, strengths, and regulation cues, ensuring learning is meaningful and embedded in real relationships.

We strongly value play-based learning, predictability, consistency, and connection — the foundation of high-quality early childhood education, and essential for supporting wellbeing in our community.

We would love to meet you and show you our beautiful centre. Book a tour to meet our passionate team and learn how we can support your child’s learning and wellbeing.

More about our centre:

Children enjoy nourishing meals prepared fresh daily by our on-site cook, including:
- Breakfast/Morning Tea
- Lunch
- Afternoon Tea
- Late snack
We happily cater for all dietary needs, and we use mealtimes as opportunities for connection, ritual, and learning.
At Goodstart Kangaroo Flat, we focus on creating a warm, safe, and respectful environment where families feel genuinely supported and valued from the moment they walk through our doors.
Our front foyer includes a comfortable chair for parents and caregivers who may need a quiet moment, wish to stay close during drop‑off, or take time to help their child settle gently. This space also features our Foodshare Pantry, which is available to all families as a practical and judgement‑free support option.
For conversations requiring privacy, such as enrolment discussions, support meetings, or sensitive conversations - we use our programming room as a dedicated space for confidential, compassionate, and uninterrupted dialogue.
At Goodstart Kangaroo Flat, we prioritise:
- reassurance
- transparent communication
- “Clear but kind” conversations
- celebrating the amazing job our families do
- connecting families to local programs, supports, and services
These practices are central to how we build trust, emotional safety, and strong partnerships with every family in our community.
We provide a hat, t‑shirt, sunscreen, bedding for rest time, and nappies for our youngest children. We aim to remove as many barriers as possible for families - one less thing to worry about in the morning.
To support holistic development, we offer a range of included experiences throughout the year, such as:
Movement & Dance
Helping children build coordination, rhythm, body awareness, and confidence through joyful movement.
Sports & Physical Play
Encouraging teamwork, resilience, motor development, and a lifelong love of active play.
Special Experiences
- art workshops
- cultural celebrations aligned with our RAP
- science exploration
- community visitors
- wildlife experiences
Every experience is designed to be inclusive, engaging, and meaningful.
We use the Storypark app to share photos, updates and messages throughout the day. Families can also connect with our broader Goodstart community through our Facebook page.
Goodstart Kangaroo Flat is deeply connected to our local community.
We engage in:
- community events
- partnerships with local services
- meaningful actions within our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
- cultural connection and celebration
- Local Bush Kinder program
We want every family to feel seen, heard, welcomed, and safe.
At Goodstart Kangaroo Flat, the safety, wellbeing, and protection of every child is at the heart of everything we do. As a Child Safe Organisation, we follow Goodstart’s Code of Conduct, which requires all educators to prioritise children’s rights, uphold professional boundaries, and maintain a culture of trust, transparency, and active supervision.
We take all reasonable steps to protect children from harm, abuse, neglect, or unsafe practices, and we ensure our educators are trained, supported and held to the highest standards. This includes following the Look, Do, Tell framework, which ensures that all concerns are taken seriously and reported immediately.
Digital & Online Safety
With increasing national focus on child safety in the Early Childhood Sector, we are committed to following the National Model Code for Digital Safety, ensuring that any use of technology in our centre is safe, ethical, and child‑centred. This includes strict controls around:
- using only Goodstart‑issued devices for taking photos or videos of children
- securing, storing and deleting images appropriately
- never using personal devices while working directly with children
- maintaining a safe digital environment that protects children's privacy and identity
These practices are mandated through Goodstart’s Digital Safety (Model Code) Requirement, designed to ensure that every use of technology aligns with our duty of care and our commitment to a child‑safe culture.
A Culture of Speaking Up
All educators are expected to speak up if something doesn’t feel right — whether it relates to safety, behaviour, boundaries, or digital practices. This expectation is a core part of Goodstart’s Code and is supported through ongoing training, clear reporting pathways, and a commitment across our centre to take immediate action when concerns arise.

Enrol now!

When every moment counts, make them Goodstart moments.

Enquire now

Welcome to Goodstart Kangaroo Flat. My name is Belinda Dixon, and I’m proud to lead our dedicated and passionate team here on Dja Dja Wurrung Country.

With over 12 years of experience in early childhood education, my focus is on building strong, emotionally safe relationships with children, families, and educators. I believe in fostering an environment where everyone feels nurtured, included, and valued - especially within a community that faces unique challenges and strengths.

My Background:
I began my career in Education in 2009, when I commenced my Bachelor of Education (Primary/Secondary), majoring in English Literature. I completed my degree at the end of 2012 and moved into my first professional role as a Teacher and Librarian in Northern Queensland.

In 2014, I relocated to the Gold Coast and took on a role as a Kindergarten Teacher — an experience that sparked my deep passion for Early Childhood Education. Wanting to grow further in this field, I completed my Diploma of Early Childhood Education, which strengthened my commitment to high‑quality early learning.

After returning to Bendigo, I worked as a Kindergarten Teacher at Goodstart Flora Hill, before progressing into an Educational Leader role. In 2018, I moved across to Goodstart Kangaroo Flat as Assistant Director, where I supported curriculum, relationships, and Centre operations.

In 2021, I proudly stepped into the role of Centre Director, where I continue to lead our amazing team with a strong focus on emotional safety, high expectations, cultural responsiveness, and “clear but kind” leadership.

My Philosophy
I believe wholeheartedly in:
-trauma‑informed practice
-cultural safety
-clear but kind leadership
-creating a centre where children and families feel genuinely welcome and held
-high expectations and accountability paired with compassion
-Every child deserves to learn in a space where they feel calm, capable, and connected.

What I Love About Goodstart Kangaroo Flat:
Our Centre is a place of warmth, resilience, and community.
Families are greeted with kindness, and children are met exactly where they are. Our team is deeply committed to supporting children who may need extra emotional support, consistency, or regulation strategies — and we do so with patience and heart. We value cultural celebrations, strong connections, and ongoing growth through frameworks like the RAP and the Three to Five Outcomes Framework.

My Commitment to You:
My door is always open. I am here to listen, support, and partner with you to ensure your child experiences a safe, joyful, and enriching early learning journey. Come and say hi! I look forward to welcoming you into our Centre.

Please feel free to reach out or better yet, book a tour so you can see firsthand the calm, nurturing environment our team has created for your children.

Government Funded Kindergarten Program

At Kangaroo Flat, you and your child can enjoy the best of both worlds. Our early learning centre offers a Government-funded kindergarten program and long day care under the one roof. Our kindergarten teachers are University qualified and provide a play-based learning program that will support your child in learning the skills for school and life.

Fees and inclusions

Out-of-pocket cost with With CCS subsidy:

$80.98 $67.07 $53.17 $39.26 /day out-of-pocket*

Out-of-pocket cost with With CCS subsidy:

$72.63 $58.72 $44.82 $30.91 /day out-of-pocket*

Calculate your CCS subsidy

With multi-child discounts and government funded Kindergarten/Preschool in some states, out-of-pocket costs could be even less than you think!

The above fees are effective from 7 July 2025 and are based on a 10 hour session, for attendance between 2 and 4 days per week. 5 day bookings receive a generous discount per day. Note that different combinations of sessions times and number of days can increase or decrease the daily rate.

* Estimates are calculated based on CCS rates as of January 2026, for an activity level of 72 activity hours on a 10hr session and a 3 day booking.