We’ve opened the doors at the world-class Dorrington Child and Family Hub, our fourth integrated early years centre for the local community at 7 Dorrington Drive in Mount Waverley. Part of our ongoing commitment to improving access to early childhood services, the hub supports the health and development of children and their families.

Starting in December 2023 and completed in January 2025, the project was supported with $4.5 million in funding by the Victorian Government through the Building Blocks Partnership agreement, with Council contributing $2.4 million.

Built by 2Construct, Dorrington Child and Family Hub brings together a range of early years services under one roof.

Home to the new light-filled two-room Dorrington Kindergarten, that will provide a total of 66 kindergarten places to meet the needs of the growing community. To enrol your child at Dorrington Kindergarten or any other Monash kindergarten, please register with the  City of Monash Kindergarten Central Enrolments Scheme

The hub also features Council’s Sleep and Settling Service for new parents including a parents lounge, 4 new baby rooms and a welcoming outdoor space, a multipurpose community room and community playgroups.

Architects for the project AOA Christopher Peck created spacious interiors that open out to external decking and outdoor learning areas where children can explore the natural environment under the cool shade of leafy gum trees.

With warm natural finishings, sleek, modern design, the building incorporates a wide range of environmentally sustainable design features including rainwater harvesting, solar panels, carbon neutral and locally manufactured bricks featuring recycled glass, and a range of materials that improve the thermal efficiency of the building resulting in reduced energy consumption.

Dorrington is the newest child and family hub to be built in the City of Monash, following the two award-winning facilities at Wellington Child and Family Hub (completed 2022) in Mulgrave, Pinewood Child and Family Hub (completed 2023), and Oakleigh South Child and Family Hub (completed 2024).

The Dorrington Child and Family Hub offers:

• Two 33 place kindergarten rooms inclusive of outdoor learning environments
• A multi-purpose room / playgroup space
• A new base for Council’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Sleep and Settling program and lactation program (including a parents’ lounge, day stay sleep rooms, office, and courtyard garden).

This new child and family centre is part of Council’s commitment to improving the accessibility and quality of early childhood services in Monash, thereby enabling families to foster relationships with nurses, kindergarten educators, playgroup facilitators and other services all under the one roof.

Consultation with key stakeholders, including service providers and service users has been undertaken to inform the hub design.

Feedback was closed on 31 August 2023.