Early learning boost for South Gippsland in State Budget
Funding for the long-awaited Mirboo North early learning centre has been confirmed in Tuesday's 2026-27 Victorian Budget while construction has started on the new Meeniyan Early Learning Centre.
Funding for the long-awaited Mirboo North early learning centre at Mirboo North Primary School has been confirmed in Tuesday's 2026-27 Victorian Budget as one of 22 new on-school kinders announced statewide.
The project has been in planning since 2023 when South Gippsland Shire Council received a $150,000 Building Blocks Planning Grant and ran community consultation on a new kindergarten at the Balook Street site shared with Mirboo North Primary School.
State Eastern Victoria MLC Tom McIntosh confirmed the funding alongside Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn and Mirboo North and District Community Foundation Executive Officer Ruth Rogan, who is also school council president at Mirboo North Primary.
The Minister was in Meeniyan on the same visit to turn the first sod on the new Early Learning Victoria centre at 5 Geale Street, due to open in early 2027 with 57 places for local children offering long day care, three-year-old kindergarten and pre-prep programs alongside Meeniyan Primary School.
Both centres sit within a near-$500 million early learning package that also includes grants for 27 new and expanded kinders and $9.8 million for the Building Blocks Improvement and Inclusion Grant program.
Other South Gippsland items in the Budget include $100,000 for a masterplan at Koonwarra Recreation Reserve and continued high intensity outside school hours care at South Gippsland Specialist School in Leongatha for students with disabilities.
The $1.8 million Rural Financial Counselling Service continues offering free help to farmers and families — a service in heavy demand following one of the driest starts to a year on record.
Tuesday's Budget also locked in the previously announced planning and design funding for the Leongatha alternative truck route and the Strzelecki Highway between Mirboo North and Leongatha, the new Mirboo North CFA station and a new boat for Marine Search and Rescue at Port Welshpool.
Mr McIntosh also flagged the 20 per cent rego rebate, the continuation of free public transport through May before half-price fares from June 1 to year's end, the $1.04 billion roads blitz and a rise in foster, kinship and permanent carer allowances as outlined by Bass MP Jordan Crugnale in her Budget statement
Mr McIntosh said the Budget delivered for local families.
"This Budget ensures families have the high-quality support they deserve close to home, while easing everyday cost of living pressures with free public transport and reduced rego," Mr McIntosh said.
• Funding confirmed for Mirboo North early learning centre
• Construction on the Meeniyan Early Learning Centre
• $100,000 masterplan for Koonwarra Recreation Reserve
• Continued OSHC at South Gippsland Specialist School
• $1.8 million continuing Rural Financial Counselling Service
• Planning funding for Leongatha alternative truck route
• Planning funding for the Strzelecki Highway upgrade
• New traffic signals at Trafalgar's Princes Highway East
• Previously announced new Mirboo North CFA station
• $100 million over 10 years for CFA tankers and pumpers
• New Marine Search and Rescue boat at Port Welshpool
• One-off 20 per cent rego rebate up to $372
• Free public transport through May, half-price to year's end
• $1.04 billion roads blitz, 70 per cent regional
• $62 million for 200 police reservists
• Carer allowance rises of $400 to $1,700 a year
State Nationals leader and Gippsland South MP Danny O'Brien said the Budget continued Labor's record of underfunding regional Victoria, slamming a $6.87 billion emergency services tax bill, a $7.7 billion cash deficit for 2026-27 and net debt set to reach $199.3 billion by 2029-30 in a joint statement with State Liberal leader Jess Wilson.
