Cherry Murtagh voted Sunshine Coast’s best early childhood educator

One Sunshine Coast childcare centre dominated in the search for the region’s best educator with the top three all working together. See what the winner had to say.

(Left-right) Jill Foreman , Cherry Murtagh and Katie King were voted the top three early childhood educators on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: contributed

The Sunshine Coast’s top early childhood educator has been decided after weeks of voting, with the final three all working together on the same team.

Cherry Murtagh from Goodstart Early Learning Centre Little Mountain at Keneland Drive won the Sunshine Coast Daily’s poll out of 199 educators who were nominated.

She was closely followed by her colleagues Katie King and Jill Foreman.

A surprised Ms Murtagh said she was grateful for the “beautiful family” she had at the centre, as well as the supportive staff.

The mum-of-two has been working in early childhood care for more than half her life, having completed her diploma in 1999.

“I have always wanted to work with kids, I knew that right from when I was in high school,” she said.

“Having those relationships with the kids and parents is what is really important to me and knowing that they have voted, that reinforces for me I have built those relationships.”

She said her favourite part was making the children which come into their care feel loved, welcome and safe as well as “giving them a big cuddle first thing in the morning”.

Ms Murtagh said she loved working in the nursery and watching the young children grow.

“We are very much a supportive environment and it is nice for them to feel like part of the group,” she said.