Community to celebrate 66-year legacy of closing Alexander Thomson Kindergarten
Families devastated by the closure of Alexander Thomson Uniting Kindergarten after 66 years have organised a farewell fete to celebrate its legacy and honour beloved teachers.
Families “gutted” to lose the fight to save Alexander Thomson Uniting Kindergarten are preparing to honour its legacy with a farewell fete.
Despite the kindergarten’s Parents Committee tirelessly campaigning to save it, the kinder’s closure was announced last year.
Kindergarten Parents Committee Treasurer Megan Linklater said the volunteer-led group worked hard first to save Alexander Thomson and then to fight for another sessional kindergarten in Belmont.
“We’re all parents and we all work, so it was a lot of work actually to be raising awareness in the community,” she said.
Ms Linklater’s eldest son completed kindergarten at Alexander Thomson, and she said it was upsetting that her middle son, who is starting kindergarten next year, wouldn’t be able to.
“We’re pretty gutted about Alexander Thomson closing because it was such a great kinder,” she said.
Ms Linklater said the committee’s persistent campaigning for a sessional kindergarten in the area got local MP Christine Couzens to pick up the issue, resulting in a fast-tracked kindergarten at Oberon Primary School.
Oberon’s sessional kindergarten is set to open in January 2026, and will be run by not-for-profit organisation Gowrie.
Ms Linklater hopes some children from Alexander Thomson will be able to attend Oberon, including her son.
She said staff members “don’t have anywhere to go,” but hoped some would find a position through Gowrie Victoria.
“It’s the teachers that have made Alexander Thomson Kinder as successful as it has been.
“I would love for them to be successful and to stay in the Belmont area if possible.”
She said that a daycare offering some kindergarten placements is likely to replace the existing kindergarten, and will open in 2027.
The kindergarten is hosting a farewell fete to celebrate 66 years of service to Belmont on December 7.
The fete is open to the community and will feature a performance from the Mik Maks, Santa’s arrival on a fire truck, food trucks, a petting zoo, and an appearance from Christine Couzens.
It will be run by the Alexander Thomson Kindergarten Parents Committee, who Ms Linklater said “wanted to really celebrate the teachers and the legacy of the kinder”.
She said that a time capsule filled with letters, photos, and artwork from children who previously or currently attended the kindergarten would be buried on the site for families to look back on in the future.
Ms Linklater said the Belmont Uniting Church offered its land to host the fete at the last minute which was “really helpful”.
“I’m really grateful to the Uniting Church who have now offered their land for us to hold the event,” she said.
Originally published as Community to celebrate 66-year legacy of closing Alexander Thomson Kindergarten
