Ballarat Co-op to run early childhood education in Ballan

Yaluk Burron Early Learning will open in 2024 - and is already advertising for jobs and enrolments.

The building is under construction at the corner of Stead and Steiglitz streets.

BADAC Chief Executive Karen Heap said the centre would be open to "everyone" - indigenous and non-indigenous children alike.

"We're trying to develop kinder programs where (indigenous) culture is involved," she said.

"We need to change people's perspectives about racism and we're of the view that you start when kids are in kinder."

The Ballan long-daycare and government-funded kinder program comes after the co-operative spent three years setting up a similar centre in Brown Hill and an indigenous community kinder in Rubicon Street Sebastopol.

Ms Heap said the builder of the Ballan centre owned the former residential site - and BADAC was planning to lease the property from them.

"The opportunity arose and we decided to tackle it," she said.

"We know Ballan is a growth area - not just for indigenous people - but for all communities.

"We felt there was an opportunity to develop something there - and why not?

"Ballan is desperate for services - and we know preschool and long day care is needed in that area."

The site is diagonally opposite the Moorabool shire offices, within a block of Ballan's two primary schools - and a five-minute walk from a railway station.

Planning documents show the development is worth just over $1 million.

An application was lodged on behalf of Des Rix homes with Moorabool Council in August 2021 and approved in July last year.

The planning permit shows the building will be permitted to hold a maximum of 102 children and can only operate between 6am and 6pm.

Entry will be from Steiglitz Street and cars will need to exit via Stead Street.

It is the second childcare facility under construction in Steiglitz Street - with another being built behind the Commercial Hotel, a block and a half away.

Ballan also has an existing childcare facility next to the town's kinder in Simpson Street.

Bureau of Statistics data shows 61 per cent of workers who live in Moorabool work outside the shire - creating a huge demand by commuters for long day care as well as before- and after- school care.

Moorabool had 558 people who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander at the 2021 census, compared to 2155 in Ballarat.

The Shire is on the lands of Wadawurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung and Wurundjeri people and is home to a large number of important sites, relics and scar trees.

Have you tried The Courier's app? It can be downloaded here.