From Dream To Reality The Community- Led Establishment Of Home Hill's Beloved Kindergarten

In mid-1983, Marie Finn was sitting in the waiting room of Dr Joyce’s surgery for the six-week check of her fifth child, flicking through the latest edition of the Home Hill Observer when she read of the closure of a local kindergarten operated by Mrs Williamson.
“Coming from Cairns and driving there regularly, I had often seen beautiful buildings that provided kindergarten facilities and hoped that Home Hill could one day have the same,” Marie said.
“Perhaps this was the opportunity, so I sprang into action.”
Marie met with then councillor Seb Vecchio over a cup of tea at her kitchen table to discuss the possibility of a C&K Kindergarten in Home Hill, and she said the idea had this support. A week later, almost 30 people attended a public meeting, some in opposition to the proposal, favouring another backyard kindy to replace Mrs Williamson’s. A week after that, a steering committee was appointed to investigate the possibilities and the work involved. Council was contacted about a suitable building, while the committee planned for its first Christmas Carnival with the support of the community, families and organisations.
“Forty local businesses supported the carnival either with goods or ads in the paper,” Marie said.
“It was thrilling, and we knew that our idea would be a resounding success!”
Ann Winter discovered that the CWA flats, originally Iyah State School, were up for sale, that purchase setting in motion the establishment of the Home Hill Community Preschool and Kindergarten Association as it was then known. Furniture was sourced from Mrs Williamson and the Home Hill State School, but challenges ensued when obtaining a phone, electricity, pest control, fire extinguishers, vinyl and carpet flooring, mirrors, toilets and other items and services for the kindy. Parents assisted in painting the building and equipment, pulling out bindis, building a fence and sandpit, all to be ready by the end of January 1984.
“Where would the money come from?” Marie posed.
“Our estimates were that it would cost $5,000 to bring the building and equipment up to meet the high standards required to have affiliation with C&K Queensland.
“The proposal at Council was led by then Chairman, Dr John Trace, and supported by three Home Hill councillors.
“However, the whole only just passed at 5-4.
“Nevertheless, they agreed to allocate $5,000 to be repaid over ten years and dedicated to our expenditure.”
The kindy commenced operation in January 1984 with Miss Sandra Slater as Director and Miss Lorelie Bapty as Assistant. Dr John Trace later performed the official opening of the centre on March 15, 1984, where Sandra and Lorelie were presented with engraved goblets by the committee of management as foundation staff and students were presented with foundation certificates. The centre was given the slogan:
“This centre runs on parent power.”
In its infancy, three people contributed generously to the kindy’s upkeep: Ray Kluver, who mowed and whipper snipped weekly; Jo Weeks, who voluntarily cleaned the kindy all year; and Alan Weight, who assisted with the gardening and kept the bindies at bay. Within a short space of time, it became apparent that the life of the building as a C&K centre was, unfortunately, limited.
“By the middle of the year, thought was given to a new building much sooner than we at first anticipated, and negotiations were entered into with the Burdekin Shire Council,” Marie said.
Three blocks of land were considered, including the block where the kindy stands today. Plans were drawn up by Barrett and Associates and had approval by the C&K Building Committee in Brisbane. The float in the Harvest Festival later that year evoked high interest from the parents with a good turnout to put it together. And, with another Christmas Carnival, the highly successful and tumultuous first year came to an end and the Home Hill Community Kindy was here to stay.

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Foundation Staff
Director: Sandra Slater
Assistant: Lorelie Bapty

Foundation Committee
President: Marie Finn
Vice President: Damien Joyce
Secretary: Mary Hurney
Treasurer: Peter Hogden
Committee Members: Cheryl Goodman, Norelle Weight, Isabel Stubbs, Annette Michelin and Delphine Baker

Foundation Students
Group A: Katrina Piva, Andrew Finn, Carly Bradley, Rowan McDowell, Travis Davenport, Nicole Watson, Ross Elton, Christopher Field, Andrea Mann, Cherie Durso, Jason Torrisi, Peter Bartlett, Danien Michelin, Justin Elton, Rachel Woods and Stacey Harding
Group B: Stewart Baker, David Vass, Daniel Vass, Calum Boland, Janay Lewis, Josh Santacatarina, Isabel Stubbs, Joanne Woods, Alison Woods, Christopher Williams, Michael Hogden, Michael Weeks, Claire Joyce, Roderick Taylor, Ann Grimshaw, Magella Hurney, Danielle Goodman, Scott Heatley, Phil Garner and Nev Norris
Group C: Shea Baker, Justin Young, Andrew Piva, Trudy Eckstein, Amanda Bonanno, Lillian Simeoni, Adrian Chapman, Frank Barbagallo, Peter Rossato and David Todman

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Group A
Group B
Group C

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