Officer’s Toun-nun Child and Family Centre officially opened!
Toun-nun Child and Family Centre, located at 46 Fairweather Parade in Officer, was officially opened yesterday.
Cardinia Shire Mayor Councillor Jack Kowarzik, Officer Ward Councillor Tammy Radford, and Member for Pakenham, Emma Vulin MP, joined staff, families, and children at the centre to celebrate the significant milestone.
The new facility opened its doors to children and families in time for the commencement of Term 2 earlier this year and includes:
- three kindergarten program rooms
- a community room convertible into an additional kinder room
- three consult rooms for Maternal and Child Health and other allied health professionals
- an outdoor play space
- a public art project
- and more!
Council undertook extensive community consultation in 2023 to determine the facility’s official name. Carefully chosen for its connection to Country and expressive symbolism, the word ‘Toun-nun’ is an indigenous Bunurong word meaning ‘warm’ and reflects the centre's welcoming and inclusive environment for support, learning, and connection.
The centre is a testament to both Officer and the Shire’s growing community, and the need for new facilities that cater to young residents and their families.
The $7.45 million project, jointly funded by the Cardinia Shire Council and the Victorian Government, exemplifies a successful collaboration aimed at enhancing local facilities and outcomes for families and young children.
The funding included $4 million from the Victorian School Building Authority’s Building Blocks Capacity Grant Program, $1.5 million from the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning’s Jobs, Precincts and Region's Growing Suburbs Fund, and $1.95 million in funding from Council through the Officer Developer Contributions Plan.
For more information about this major project, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/majorprojects.
For more information about kindergarten in Cardinia Shire, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/kindergarten.