The Victorian Government is dedicated to ensuring all children have the best start to life. To achieve this, the government is making substantial investments to make room for more children to access increased hours in kindergarten programs throughout the state.

Moonee Valley City Council is committed to a partnership with the Victorian Government to deliver these opportunities to children in our community. Over the next five years, we will work together on various kindergarten redevelopment projects to address the anticipated increase in demand for places.

This major infrastructure initiative underscores our investment in delivering high-quality early childhood education, with co-located maternal and child health services, to families and children across the municipality.

We'll be working with families at each kindergarten to capture their favourite memories of each location and understand some of their hopes for the new facilities. The kindergarten projects are currently at various stages of progress, from basic concepts through to construction. As feedback opportunities arise, we also welcome the wider community to get involved and have their say! Click into the tabs below to find out more about each project and see available opportunities to provide feedback on the projects.

While many aspects of the project, such as funding allocation and overall design, are guided by the scope of this state government-funded initiative and therefore limit the influence of community input, we value and encourage your feedback on specific areas that directly affect local experiences. This feedback will enable us to work with the state government to incorporate the desires of our community.

The new facility is now fully operational, with both Kindergarten and Maternal and Child Health services up and running. Visit our dedicated project page here and see images of the brand new site.

Temporary power is now live, with permanent power consolidation scheduled for later this year. Solar panels will follow once the final connection is in place.

Help shape the new landscape design!

We’re now seeking your feedback on three concept designs for the front and rear landscaping of Montgomery Park Kindergarten.

These designs aim to:

• Restore the tree canopy lost during construction
• Blend the kindergarten more seamlessly into the surrounding park
• Enhance safety and create a more welcoming space for children and families

All three designs include a mix of tall canopy trees and plantings along Hilda Street, but they differ in the total number of plants, the focus on semi-mature trees near the kindergarten, and how greenery is spread across the area — with Design 1 offering the most overall plantings and Design 2 prioritising more tall trees. All concept designs offer a range of different native species. These plans also show the removal of the crickets nets due to an audit showing they are no longer compliant to standards.

Design 1 Features

Design 2 Features

Design 3 Features

Landscaping works are expected to begin mid-2025. A separate consultation on the broader Montgomery Park Master Plan will follow later in the year.

Have your say on your preferred landscaping design today!

• complete our online survey by Thursday, 15 May 2025
• attend our on-site pop-up on Wednesday, 30 May 2025, 4:30pm - 6pm, to meet our team and the consultants who have developed the concept designs
• reach out to our project team directly using the details available on this page

Scheduled to begin in 2025, this project is due for completion in January 2026. To find out more about this project please visit our dedicated project page here.

The redevelopment will deliver improvements including:

• three rooms to replace the current single room
• capacity for 66 more children
• retention of the double maternal health suites.

Lincolnville Kindergarten Design

Exciting progress is being made on the Lincolnville Kindergarten Redevelopment, with the project now in its design phase. Based on community feedback from our first consultation in late 2024, the redevelopment aims to provide flexible and open-ended play environments, improve parking outcomes, and prioritise tree retention and planting.

After careful consideration of different siting options, the optimal location for the new kindergarten has been selected. This decision was made in collaboration with the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) and ensures the best possible outcomes across key factors, including:

• Play space quality
• Impacts on neighbouring residents
• Safety and accessibility
• Supervision and licensing requirements

The chosen site preserves the healthiest and most suitable trees while also creating space for new canopy tree planting within the property. While the new building extends beyond the current fenced boundary, this will result in a net gain of 200 sqm of open public space.

We understand that there are parking concerns around the area. Council will continue to monitor parking as the project progresses and will be ensuring the upgraded kindergarten has staggered start/finish times to decrease the amount of people arriving at any given time. We are investigating further opportunities and will share this when it is available.

We are inviting the community to help shape how this reclaimed space is landscaped and used, and share your thoughts on parking. Your input will ensure this area meets local needs and enhances the connection between the kindergarten and surrounding streetscape. A list of the possible species that Council are considering for planting can be found here. You can see the map below which outlines the areas for re-landscaping that will be returned to open space - we'd love to hear your thoughts!

Community members were invited to have their say in a variety of ways:

1. Completing our online survey by 6 April
2. Visiting us at our on-site pop-up on Saturday 29 March from 9:30am - 11am
3. Emailing our Kindergarten Redevelopment Team using the details on this page

Due to timeframes set by the Victorian Government, this consultation period ran for two weeks instead of the usual four. While this is a shorter timeframe than we typically provide, it was necessary to ensure the project stays on track and meets key funding and planning milestones.

We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to share your thoughts during this period so we can incorporate as much community feedback as possible into the final design.

The planning phase for the Coronation project was completed in July, 2024, and the detailed design is now finalised. The project has moved to the tender documentation stage, keeping it on track for construction to start in April 2025. The final phase is scheduled for December 2026, ensuring re-opening in January 2027.

The redevelopment will deliver improvements including:

• a custom-designed two-room kindergarten facility to replace the current single room
• capacity for 25 more children
• a double Maternal Child Health suite.

In November 2024, Council officers and Co.Op Studio, the architect engaged to design the facility, held a pop-up on site to allow community members to come along to learn more about the design of the building, and share feedback and ideas for the playspace and landscaping design. Thanks to everyone who came along! Feedback from this consultation provided valuable insights that have been carefully considered in the project's development.

All milestones are progressing as planned, keeping the project on schedule for its next phases. To find out more about this project please visit our dedicated project page here, and check out the photos further down this page.

Want to learn more about the Coronation Kindergarten Design?

Co.Op Studio’s design for Coronation Kindergarten responded to the following key requests:

• Create an innovative civic frontage that revitalises the surrounding neighbourhood while preserving local character.
• Maximise site potential by harmonising building design with existing trees and landscape, crafting engaging learning spaces that encourage children’s exploration.
• Incorporate passive design elements for optimal natural daylighting and thermal comfort within learning and maternal health areas.

To ensure the community’s essence was reflected, Co.Op Studio studied the Ascot Vale neighbourhood, which features charming Victorian-era homes adorned with ornate verandas, intricate roof details, and textured facades. The patterned roof tiles, detailed fretwork, and brick textures lend a familiar, homely quality to the area. This neighbourhood character served as a valuable foundation for Coronation Kindergarten’s design, bringing a comforting, home-like atmosphere into the early learning environment.

Environmentally Sustainable Design

Council has set clear guidelines to ensure best practices in Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) for projects under its Sustainable Buildings & Facilities Guidelines and the Moonee Valley ESD Matrix. This design upholds these guidelines as follows:

Energy Efficiency: The design emphasises thermal performance, passive solar features, energy-efficient heating, and solar systems to reduce electricity consumption by at least 60%.

Water Efficiency: Efficient fixtures and rainwater harvesting reduce water demand, and sub-surface irrigation supports drought-resilient landscaping.

Indoor Environment Quality: Natural daylight, acoustic comfort, natural ventilation, VOC reduction, and shading improve air quality and occupant comfort.

Construction and Waste Management: Construction waste management plans ensure at least 90% of waste is recycled, with clear operational recycling processes.

Scheduled to begin in 2026, this project is due for completion by January 2027. To find out more about this project please visit our dedicated project page here.

The redevelopment will deliver improvements including:

• three rooms to replace the current single room
• capacity for 66 more children
• a Maternal Child Health suite.

Scheduled to begin in January 2026, this project is expected to be complete by January 2028. To find out more about this project please visit our dedicated project page here.

The redevelopment will deliver improvements including:

• a custom-designed triple-room facility to replace the current single room
• capacity for 66 more children
• a Maternal Child Health suite.