Work underway on new five-storey childcare centre in Nambour
ArticleDemolition work has begun at 68–78 Howard Street in Nambour, clearing the way for a major new five-storey early childhood education and care (ECEC) service in the heart of the town’s central business district.
Crews were working at the site on Wednesday, 19 August, removing the former commercial buildings ahead of construction of the approved Evolution Early Learning development.
The project, lodged with Sunshine Coast Council by Mariara Property Group Pty Ltd in June 2024, is expected to accommodate up to 149 children and employ approximately 23 staff.
The Sector first reported on the proposed $9.6 million development in July 2024.
The approved development will introduce a modern, multi-level early learning environment to central Nambour.
Plans show a food garden, cooking school, yoga and music studios, together with play and learning spaces distributed across the building.
Parking, an office and a kitchen will be located on the basement level, while the ground floor will contain a foyer, additional parking, the cooking school and garden areas.
The upper levels will include children’s learning and play environments, staff facilities and dedicated spaces for music, yoga and other complementary programs.
The development will also provide 44 on-site car parks, comprising 23 spaces for staff and 21 for families and visitors.
Evolution Early Learning currently operates services in Mooloolaba and Kuluin, offering education and care for children from six weeks of age through to kindergarten.
The provider’s model places an emphasis on sustainability, healthy living and enriched learning experiences, with existing programs encompassing music, yoga and mindfulness, environmental education, food and nutrition, physical activity and creative arts.
When the plans were first unveiled, Mariara Property Group director Ara Phillips said the company believed strongly in Nambour’s potential, particularly as a community for young families.
“While Nambour has often been perceived negatively, we believe in the growth of the town,” Ms Phillips said at the time.
“Its structure and layout has a great community feel, with shopping, medical, services and infrastructure all within short distances. You get the benefit of a hinterland town so close to the coast.”
The Howard Street site is positioned within Nambour’s CBD, close to existing commercial, health and community services.
Planning documents submitted with the development application described the location as offering “significant convenience and benefit” to families living and working in the area.
The development is also expected to contribute to local economic activity by creating approximately 23 jobs and bringing more families into the town centre.
Although the project has attracted some criticism online, a person associated with the development told the Sunshine Valley Gazette that the additional employees and families visiting the centre would help support activity within Nambour’s CBD.
The Nambour project reflects the increasing use of multi-storey designs to deliver early childhood education and care in urban centres and locations where available land is constrained.
Vertical developments can allow providers to create a substantial number of places on relatively compact sites, while incorporating learning and play environments across several levels.
They also require careful consideration of children’s access to outdoor environments, supervision, movement between floors and emergency and evacuation arrangements.
Evolution Early Learning already operates a multi-level service in Mooloolaba, which was presented during the planning process as an example of the model proposed for Nambour.
The commencement of demolition marks an important step forward for the Howard Street project, bringing Nambour closer to gaining a substantial new early learning service in the centre of town.
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