Hervey Bay Kindergarten
Former Approved Provider (Owner/Operator)
As Approved Provider and Owner/Operator of this small family-owned nature kindergarten in Hervey Bay, I spent years advocating fiercely for children's right to play within the Early Childhood sector. Alongside my sister, Kirsty Jacobson, and a team of exceptional Educators and Early Childhood Teachers, we created something remarkable: a sanctuary where child-led play was not only protected but celebrated.
Together, we built a play-rich learning environment that achieved an Exceeding rating under the National Quality Standard, demonstrating that children's freedom, agency and play can exist alongside the highest standards of early childhood education and care.
I developed policies that reflected the unique needs of the children and families in our community, ensuring their right to play remained at the heart of our practice. When regulatory pressures challenged that vision, I stood firm, advocating even more strongly for children's access to meaningful play experiences.
I am proud to have embedded playful pedagogy throughout Hervey Bay Kindergarten and to have established an off-site Beach & Bush Kindy, providing children with weekly opportunities to connect with nature through rich, authentic play experiences. Today, Hervey Bay Kindergarten continues to offer generations of local children a nature-based, play-filled kindergarten year where curiosity, adventure and childhood itself are valued and protected.
