Toowoomba childcare: How full each centre is across city

Are you looking for a Toowoomba based childcare provider? Here is a list of centres that currently have spots available for new infants, toddlers, and children.

Some Toowoomba families are struggling to find childcare centres, off the back of a population boom and changes to the child care subsidy scheme.

In June, the Federal Government announced the service would cost less, and kindy would be free for four-year-olds come January 2024.

Some of the changes included a childcare subsidy rate of 90 per cent for families with a combined income of $80,000 or less, and a 95 per cent rate for or families with multiple children in care, aged five or under.

(from left) Kindy students Aloka Roy and Ivy Macdonald with early childhood teacher and educational leader Kathy Mitchell. Mirambeena Children's Centre voted best childcare centre by Chronicle readers. Thursday, March 31, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

However, as Toowoomba’s population is expected to increase by 66,000 new residents over the next 30 years, more pressure will be put on the region’s childcare centres.
According to the latest Mitchell Institute report, in western Toowoomba suburbs there were half as many vacant spaces at current centres as there were children.

A number of property developers have lodged plans with the Toowoomba Regional Council to build new centres, some of which are planned for the lagging western suburbs, like Glenvale.

If the developments go ahead, the new centres will open up more than 1000 places for children across Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley regions.

As of September 28, these are the Toowoomba child care centres that either have spots, or are full.

A number of child care providers have yet to respond to the Toowoomba Chronicle’s inquiry, and this list will be updated as new information is provided.

If you would like information on your service included, please send an email detailing the availabilities to [e-mail].

AVAILABILITIES

Goodstart Early Learning – Drayton

37 Rudd Street, Drayton

There are limited spots for three-year-olds.

Spots are available for children over the age of three.

A spokeswoman for the centre said Goodstart Early Learning at Drayton was a “hidden gem” on the outskirts of Toowoomba with a large outdoor area for lots of play, run, and make new experiences.

Genius Childcare Toowoomba

855 Ruthven St, Kearneys Spring

Genius Learning has availabilities throughout the week for children aged three to five-yars-old.

There are limited space for those aged two and under, however a spokeswoman for the centre said they were “happy to see if there (was) anything we can do to accommodate families”.

Glenvale World Of Learning

615 Greenwattle Street, Toowoomba

Glenvale World Of Learning has availabilities for children aged between 15-months and six-years-old.

Leaps & Bounds Parklands

10 Moran Street, Toowoomba

The newly reopened centre has availability across all age groups every weekday for children aged from 15 months to five-years-old.

A Leaps & Bounds Parklands spokeswoman said the service was nestled on the edge of the Captain Cook nature reserve, making it “the most amazing early learning settings in Toowoomba”.

“Leaps & Bounds embraces exercise and acknowledges how regular physical activity is essential for good physical and mental health and wellbeing,” she said.

“We have our own in-house exercise physiologist who works with the children to set programs to develop their gross and fine motor skills, and their mobility and balance.

“We build awareness of literacy and numeracy concepts, develop children’s social skills … and their ability to focus, and ultimately, help children develop a love for learning.”

Oak On Erin

23-25 Erin Street, Wilsonton

This centre has free spots for Kindy-aged children on Monday and Friday.

Pre-kindy aged children spots are free on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday.

Junior kindy children has spots open for Mondays.

The centre waitlist for 2024 is now open with spaces available in the nurseries and kindy.

Vera Lacaze Memorial Community Kindergarten Inc

168 A West Street, Toowoomba

There are four spots open for kindergarten-aged children.

A spokeswoman for the centre said it does not offer long day care or five-day-per-week programs, as it used a seasonal program.

“We are happy to meet with families if these hours suit their requirements,” she said.

“Families can go to our website for information on session times and to organise a tour of our service.”

Kids Club Newtown

255 Herries St, Newtown

This centre has availabilities on Monday and Friday for children aged from 6 weeks to 4-years-old.

There are also availabilities every weekday for children aged four and up.

Kids Club Wilsonton Heights

26 High Ct Dr, Wilsonton Heights

There are availabilities on Monday and Friday for children aged from 6 weeks to two-years-old.

There are also availabilities every weekday for children between two and five-years-old.

Kids Club Toowoomba City

260 Margaret St, Toowoomba City

Availabilities on Thursday and Friday for children aged from 6-weeks to two-years-old.

Availabilities every weekday, except for Tuesday, for children between two and three-years- Availabilities every weekday for children between three and five-years-old.

LEAD Childcare

513 – 521 Bridge Street, Toowoomba

For children aged six weeks to one-years-old, there are three spots on Monday and two spots on Friday.

For Children aged between one and 18-month-olds, there is one spot on Monday, and two spots on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

For toddlers, there are three spots available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, four spots on Thursday, and two on Friday.

Junior kindy has one spot available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and four openings on Thursday.

Kindergarten has between eight and 10 spots are available every weekday.

For before school care, there are between eight and nine spots are available every weekday.

For after school care, there are between eight and twelve spots are available every weekday.

Grow Early Education – Toowoomba City

15 Grange Street, Toowoomba City

A Grow Early Education spokeswoman said many spots are available and the centre was keen to welcome new families with “open arms” after completing a number of renovations.

There are spots for all ages across all days.

LIMITED SPACES

Charley’s Place Glenvale

662-670 Greenwattle Street

There are limited spaces for toddlers, junior kindy, and kindergarten children.

There is a waitlist for the nursery and children ages two-years-old and under.

Goodstart Early Learning – Spring Street

332 Spring St, Toowoomba City

There are limited spots for toddlers aged from 15-months to 2 years-old and pre-kindy children aged between three and four-years old.

There will be no availabilities for kindy kids until the end of October.

There will be no availabilities for children aged two to three-years-old until late January 2024.

Kath Dickson Education and Care Centre – Toowoomba Central

5 Jennings St, Toowoomba City

Spaces are limited, however the centre anticipates more spots to become available mid-December 2023.

Monday has two spots for toddlers, while Friday has three spots for toddlers and two spots for kindergarteners

Kath Dickson Education and Care Centre – Newtown

44 Gladstone St, Newtown

Spaces are limited, however the centre anticipates more spots to become available in term one 2024.

Limited spaces are available for children aged between three and five-years-old.

Bask Early Learning Toowoomba City

317a Margaret St, Toowoomba City

Spaces are limited, however one Monday spot is available for a child aged between six-weeks and five-years-old.

Bask Early Learning Toowoomba Range

2 Burnage St, East Toowoomba

Spaces are limited, however one full-time spot is available for a child aged between three and five-years-old.

NO AVAILABILITIES

Springs Early Education

7/9 Donahue St, Toowoomba City

A Springs Early Education spokeswoman said both their Toowoomba centres were full and had extensive waitlists.

“We are unlikely to have any vacancies for new families until early January 2024,” she said.

“We are still taking families on tours of our services and adding them to our waitlist and urge anyone wanting to get a space with us in 2024 to get in quick as we are filling up fast.

“We will be taking a closer look at our 2024 enrolments end of October/November.”

Miyamiya Children’s House

5A Campbell Street, Toowoomba

Miyamiya Children’s House has no availabilities, and an extensive waitlist.

Grow Early Education – Darling Heights

2 Platz St, Darling Heights

Unlike its counterpart in the CBD, Grow Early Education at Darling Heights has no availabilities, and a 95-family wait list.