About us

Before 1965 there were no facilities for caring for Preschool aged children in Muswellbrook. The Liddell Power Station was also in the construction phase at the time providing a greater push to provide child care facilities. New families to town provided a different clientele - those without family support in the town. There were no funds or subsides to get the Preschool established, so all monies needed to run the facility had to be raised or paid by parents who used the school. Muswellbrook Preschool Kindergarten opened in the then Methodist Hall in Bridge Street, Muswellbrook in February 1965 with one teacher, Mrs. Shirley Feeney and one teacher’s aide, Mrs. Aileen Southcombe. The Methodist Church was convinced that the project had merit and offered the church hall for nominal rent. When the school opened, it had a tiny bank balance of just 20 pounds raised by some fundraising, with the two staff working almost voluntarily. The total enrolment was 20 children. In 1967 the committee purchased the Tohama Tennis Club site and clubhouse from the Serhan family (where we are now situated). They built a toilet block to convert the clubhouse into a suitable building for a Preschool. We started with one room. Sessions were flexible depending on the need at the time. Parents went on roster for gardening. We didn’t have a cleaner for at least the first ten years. The staff went back in before the beginning of each term to clean and set up. No one was employed to cover anyone who was sick in the early days as parents were there to assist or people volunteered. For major jobs everyone’s family members would come in and clean the windows and gutters. Together with regular working bees things got done. Parents were more than willing to do little jobs when asked and there was always a tradesman Dad to call on. The bus started when we started to get building on the south side of town. People were having difficulty getting their children to Preschool. Usually there was only one car and Dad would have that to go to work. Before South Muswellbrook went ahead most people could walk to Preschool. Thompson’s had bus runs and had children at Preschool. They said they would pick the children up from South Muswellbrook and bring them. Rita Thompson, the grandmother, drove the Preschool bus for free and we only needed to pay for the petrol. Families have always been heavily involved and regularly attend to help and fund raise. There is a committee but there was also a mother’s club in the earlier days. They organized a raffle every week - usually a cake. They would have swap tables for used clothes or toys and mothers would organise that. That fundraising was essential because the fees barely covered the wages. It was a struggle to pay rates and insurance and to purchase equipment .With the support of the Preschool several children’s services were established within the town and the valley. Some of the first playgroups initially had meetings at the Preschool. Upper Hunter Family Day Care and the Muswellbrook Child Care Centre had the firm support of the Preschool. Plans began in 1986 for a new building phase as everyone was aware of the deteriorating state of the building (where room 1 is currently situated) and that is why plans were commenced regarding the development of brand new extensions. The committee commenced an extensive fundraising appeal and planned in conjunction with Department of Youth and Community Services. After plans were produced for the new building it was decided by the committee to incorporate a room to house present and future programs for children with additional needs. This is the room that is currently known as Preschool 2 (or room 4). The cost of accommodating children with additional needs was divided between the Preschool and the Department of Employment Education and Training. Included in these plans was the development of a larger car park. The car park land had been purchased from the Jaber family two years prior by the then Director Shirley Feeney as the committee had stated that they couldn’t afford to purchase the land so Shirley and her Husband brought the land. As Shirley quoted herself “There was no way I was going to let it go to someone else”. The land was too important to the Preschool. Shirley then sold the land back to the Preschool when they could afford it. They paid $15,000 for the block and when they sold it back to the Preschool, they only added the rates that had been paid to the price .Work began on the building in September when the Department of Youth and Community Services approved plans for the rebuilding which involved the demolition of the thirty year old building. The new extensions (Room 1 and 4) were opened in May 1988. Built at an estimated cost of $100,000 the building provided a classroom for up to 20 children per day as well as provision for offices, toilet amenities, kitchen facilities, and handicapped children. Donations of $5,000 from Muswellbrook Shire Council, $15,000 from the Rodeo Association and the remaining funds came from fundraising to fund the building. During the construction children used demountable rooms and toilet blocks that were donated by the Electricity Commission. In 1991 the Preschool used the new facilities to apply for 10 additional places for children. A grant was used to construct boundary walls at the Preschool and undertake extensions to the playground. Room 4 was originally used as a toy library. There was a section at the end of the room that was sectioned off with a separate door. There was also access to the area via a roller door at the end of the building. The rest of the room was a classroom. When room 4 opened as a separate Preschool, known as Muswellbrook Preschool Kindergarten Number 2, it had its own staff, identity, Director, pay records, bank accounts, funds for resources, funding, and Children’s enrolments. The Director received ½ a day office time while the Director of Preschool 1 received 4 days office time. The two Preschools were later consolidated into Preschool number one. When the Director of Preschool 2 resigned in 2006, the then director of Preschool took on the role of Director for both Preschool’s. At this stage the Director had at least 4 days in the office but mostly 5.  The two Preschools are still currently running under one Director. In 2014 Muswellbrook Preschool Kindergarten expanded its facilities with thanks to a large donation from BHP Billiton - Mt Arthur Coal. This expansion saw the opening of a brand-new service at Sowerby Street which backs onto the Hill Street Preschool. Preschool number 2 has been closed as a preschool room and in 2015 became a community room for local groups to utilise. Both Hill Street and Sowerby Street Preschool are run under Muswellbrook Preschool Kindergarten with one approval number and two service approvals. Today the Preschool has 8 University trained Teachers, including the Director, 17 Educators, 3 administrations, and 4 cleaners on permanent contracts and several casual staff. Many of our staff work on a part time basis and we pride ourselves in offering flexible working arrangements. We are able to cater for 120 3 to 5 year old children a day and see on average 250 families a week. Our enrolments have been full for the last five years.  For the past 52 years Muswellbrook Preschool Kindergarten has offered a very high-quality program for all children regardless of their background, socio economic status, cultural ethnicity, or additional needs and for this we are held in high regard within our community.