Goodooga Preschool has struggled through drought and record flooding and its playground has weathered some of the worst of mother nature over the past five years. 

The completion of a new outdoor area, jointly funded by the NSW Department of Education, has breathed new life into the early childhood education service on Yuwaalaraay Country in remote western NSW.

The new recreation area accommodates up to 20 preschoolers each day and includes a sandpit, undercover area, new turf, and retreat spaces for children.  

The local Indigenous community and preschool staff were invited to help design the space to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families feel welcome and culture is valued at the service.  

The community helped design a yarning circle to connect the children and staff to Country.  

Goodooga Preschool director Jodie Watts said she was pleased the new-look outdoor area was completed and open for the community to enjoy. 

“The children seem to really enjoy the yarning circle and will sit there for periods of time pretending to talk to all sorts of people,” she said.

Goodooga Preschool is the only early childhood education and care service available to families in the region. All its staff and children are Aboriginal. 

The purpose-built playground benefited from a $179,613 grant through the Start Strong Capital Works Crisis Fund that helps service providers impacted by exceptional or unforeseen circumstances.  

“The playground was incredibly old and rundown, with small amounts of grass due to the recent drought,” Ms Watts said. 

“Before the update, both the educators and children did not want to go outside and preferred to stay indoors.” 

The playground has specifically been designed as a low maintenance play area to suit the unpredictable climate and includes an irrigation system to support the preschool’s sustainability. 

The NSW Department of Education is committed to improving access to quality early childhood education and care for Aboriginal children through its First Steps strategy.