Edward River Council has formally endorsed a working relationship with River Region Early Education (RREE) to address one of the region's most pressing challenges - the critical shortage of childcare places.
This exciting partnership marks a significant step forward in the development of a new 110-place childcare centre in Deniliquin, designed to meet the growing needs of local families, employers and service providers.
Mayor of Edward River, Ashley Hall welcomed the collaboration, saying:
"This partnership is a major step forward for our community. It's a practical and positive move that we expect will help unlock real opportunities for families, businesses and our local workforce.
"Council is proud to partner with River Region Early Education in working toward delivering solutions that will benefit our region for generations to come."
Council will work closely with RREE to identify a suitable site, including investigating Council-owned land, and support funding opportunities to bring the project to life.
The initiative aligns with Council's Community Strategic Plan, particularly its goals around inclusive communities, liveable environments and a strong, sustainable economy.
Felicity Michael, General Manager of River Region Early Education, said:
"River Region Early Education is positive about the partnership between our organisation and the Edward River Council as an urgent step to address the impact of the critical shortage of childcare places in our community.
"Together we can move forward to support families, employers, business and service providers as a matter of urgency."
Currently, around 69% of children in the Edward River Local Government Area do not have access to a childcare place, with waitlists exceeding 300 families.
This shortage has become a major barrier to workforce participation and population retention, particularly in key sectors such as health, education, retail and agriculture.
Council's support for this project is part of a broader commitment to advocate for and enable sustainable, high-quality early education solutions across the region.
The partnership with RREE is non-exclusive, with Council continuing to engage with other providers to identify and ensure both shorter-term and longer-term, community-driven outcomes.
