Jane Franklin and Suzanne at the Intereach Preschool Open Day.
Photo by
Supplied
Today is a big day for children attending the new Intereach Community Preschool in Deniliquin. New backpacks, maybe a few butterflies, and the start of something special they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
For Intereach, it’s a moment worth celebrating, as we help to address strong local demand for early education and care places.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Intereach is opening the doors of its Community Preschool today, offering Deniliquin families a local, community-based preschool option many have been asking for. It’s a significant milestone, not just for the families walking through those doors today, but for an organisation that has been quietly and steadily showing up for children and families in this region for decades.
Intereach Co-CEO Yvette Buhagiar says the opening is the result of thorough planning and a genuine response to community need.
“Access to quality early childhood education in a regional town like Deni isn’t something everyone can take for granted, and we wanted to do something about that,” Mrs Buhagiar said.
The preschool is based at the Intereach Family Centre at 366 Trickett St, a building that has been the heart of Intereach’s Deniliquin family services for the past 14 years. In that time, families have come here for support, groups, connection, and care. Now, with renovations complete, the centre has been reimagined as a dedicated home for the new Community Preschool and Intereach’s long-standing Out Of School Hours Care (OOSH) service.
For the Deniliquin community, it makes a meaningful difference in addressing a real gap. Demand for quality, affordable early childhood education has been growing, and having a local not-for-profit provider step in matters. Intereach isn’t a new player trying to establish itself. It’s an organisation that Deniliquin families already know and trust.
That trust has been earned over decades. Intereach has been running OOSH and Vacation Care services in Deniliquin for more than 30 years, starting at the old Deniliquin Community Centre in End St when out-of-hours care was still a fairly new idea for many regional towns. Those services have grown and evolved, always with the same focus: giving children a safe, fun, and nurturing place to be.
Beyond Deniliquin, Intereach has been delivering Family Day Care across the Riverina Murray and northern Victoria for decades, bringing qualified, in-home education and care to families in towns including Echuca, Finley, Griffith, Jerilderie, Kerang, Swan Hill, and many more.
“People know us in Deniliquin,” Yvette said.
“They’ve trusted us with their children through OOSH and Family Day Care for decades. That trust isn’t something we take lightly, and we’re absolutely committed to honouring it through this preschool.”
The preschool is designed to give children an exceptional start. It includes purpose-built spaces for early learning, a fantastic outdoor play environment, and a warm, relaxed atmosphere where young children can play, learn, and grow. The team of qualified local educators brings professional expertise and a genuine connection to the community.
“The team we’ve put together is genuinely outstanding,” Yvette said.
“These are local people who care deeply about this community and the children in their care. Families can feel very confident in the nurturing environment their children will be part of.”
Last Saturday, the community got a first look at what had been created. Intereach hosted an open day at the centre, welcoming families through the doors to explore the newly renovated spaces, meet the educators, and get a feel for the new preschool. It was a great morning and a lovely reminder of just how much this community has been looking forward to this day.
And Deniliquin is just one part of a bigger picture. Intereach is establishing two new early childhood centres, in Huntly and South Albury, with both expected to be completed by the end of 2027. It’s a significant investment in the future of early education and care across the region, and a clear sign of how seriously Intereach takes this work.
“We’re growing our early childhood services right across our footprint because we believe every child, no matter where they live, deserves a great start,” Yvette said.
“Huntly and South Albury are next, and we’re just as excited about those as we are about today.”
For now, the focus is right here on Trickett Street. The doors are open, the educators are ready, and the children of Deniliquin are walking in.
“I just want to say to every family sending their little one through our doors today: welcome,” Yvette said.
“We are so glad you’re here, and we can’t wait to help your children learn, play, and grow with us.”
