1990's

Preschools in order of opening

Over the years between 1944 and 2004, Canberra's parents were jointly responsible for the establishment and equipping of 91 preschools.

Where the preschool is listed in BOLD UNDERLINE there is a separate webpage with more information. 


If you have photos, memories, stories to share - they can be included into this website for others to know how parents were alive the needs of their preschool children and responsive to those who provided the quality, child-focused education programs.


If there is an error or an omission - connect with me to put it right!


  1. Reid Preschool - Established 1945
  2. Allen Main Memorial (Duntroon) Preschool - Established 1946
  3. Griffith – Stokes Street (formerly Monaro Crescent) Preschool. - Operated 1948 – 1988
  4. Haig Park (Turner) Preschool - Established 1948
  5. Ainslie (Baker Gardens) Preschool - Established 1950
  6. Narrabundah Preschool - Established 1951 (became the core of the Narrabundah Early Childhood School)
  7. Griffith (Throsby Crescent) Preschool - Operated 1951 - 1982
  8. Fairbairn Preschool - Established 1952
  9. McPherson Street (O’Connor) Preschool - Established 1952
  10. Ainslie (Rutherford Cres) Preschool - Operated 1955 – 1992 

  11. North Ainslie Preschool - Established 1992
  12. Causeway Preschool - Operated 1955 – 2006
  13. Tharwa Preschool - Established 1957
  14. Clianthus Street (O’Connor) Preschool - Established 1958
  15. MacGillivray Street (Yarralumla) Preschool - Established 1958
  16. Lyneham Preschool - Established 1959
  17. Campbell Preschool - Established 1960
  18. Dickson Preschool - Operated 1960 – 1985
  19. Red Hill Preschool - Established 1960
  20. Turner Preschool - Established 1963
  21. Hughes Preschool - Established 1964
  22. Curtin South Preschool - Established 1965
  23. Hackett Preschool - Established 1965
  24. Watson – Knox Street (later Majura) Preschool - Established 1965
  25. Chiefly Preschool - Established 1966
  26. Lyons Preschool - Established 1966 (joined with Lyons Primary to become the Lyons Early Childhood School)
  27. Curtin North Preschool - Established 1967
  28. Garran Preschool - Established 1967
  29. Downer (Cotton Pl) Preschool - Established 1968
  30. Mawson Preschool - Established 1968
  31. Aranda Preschool - Established 1969
  32. Cook Preschool - Operated 1969 – 2007
  33. Irvine Street (Watson) Preschool - Operated 1969 – 1981
  34. Macquarie Preschool - Established 1969
  35. Pearce Preschool - Established 1969
  36. Torrens Preschool - Established 1969
  37. Farrer Preschool - Established 1970
  38. Fraser Preschool - Established 1970
  39. Page Preschool - Operated 1970 – 2007
  40. Scullin Preschool - Established 1970 (joined with Scullin Primary to become the Southern Cross Early Childhood School)
  41. Higgins Preschool - Operated 1971 – 2008
  42. Waramanga Preschool - Established 1971
  43. Weston Preschool - Established 1971
  44. Fisher Preschool - Established 1972
  45. Holder Preschool - Operated 1972 – 1990
  46. Latham Preschool - Established 1972
  47. Rivett Preschool - Operated 1972 – 2006
  48. Duffy Preschool - Established 1973
  49. Holt Preschool - Operated 1973 – 2008
  50. Melba Preschool - Established 1973
  51. Weetangera Preschool - Established 1973
  52. Evatt Preschool - Established 1974
  53. Macgregor Preschool - Established 1974
  54. O’Connor Co-operative Preschool - Established 1975 (became the core of the O'Connor Early Childhood School)
  55. Giralang Preschool - Established 1975
  56. Jervis Bay Preschool - Established 1975
  57. Mount Neighbour (later Namadgi School Boddington Site) Preschool - Established 1975
  58. Village Creek Preschool - Operated 1975 – 2010
  59. Chapman Preschool - Established 1976
  60. Charnwood Preschool - Established 1976
  61. Hawker Preschool - Established 1976
  62. Kaleen Preschool - Established 1976
  63. Urambi Preschool - Established 1976
  64. Wanniassa Preschool - Established 1976
  65. Hall Preschool - Established 1977
  66. Spence Preschool - Established 1977
  67. Taylor Preschool - Established 1978
  68. Wanniassa Hills Preschool - Established 1978
  69. Flynn Preschool - Established 1979
  70. Maribyrnong Preschool - Established 1979
  71. Miles Franklin Preschool - Established 1980
  72. Monash Preschool - Established 1982
  73. Gowrie Preschool - Established 1983
  74. Macarthur Preschool - Operated 1983 – 2007 
  75. Richardson Preschool - Established 1984
  76. Fadden Preschool - Established 1985
  77. Chisholm Preschool - Established 1986
  78. Gilmore Preschool - Established 1987
  79. Isabella Plains Preschool - Established 1988 (joined with Isabella Plains Primary to become the Isabella Plains Early Childhood School)
  80. Calwell Preschool - Established 1989
  81. Florey Preschool - Established 1989
  82. Yarralumla Montessori Preschool - Established 1989
  83. Theodore Preschool - Established 1991
  84. Bonython Preschool - Established 1992
  85. Palmerston District Preschool - Established 1994
  86. Charles Conder Preschool - Established 1995
  87. Gordon Preschool - Established 1995
  88. [Neville] Bonner Preschool - Established 1996
  89. Nicholls Preschool - Established 1996
  90. Ngunnawal Preschool - Established 1997
  91. Amaroo Preschool - Established 2004


Preschools established outside of the joint-venture model:
1.    Harrison Preschool - Established 2008
2.    Kingsford Smith Preschool - Established 2009 (Kingsford Smith Preschool replaced both Higgins and Holt preschools)
3.    Namadgi Preschool - Established 2011
4.    Franklin Preschool - Established 2013
5.    Evelyn Scott Preschool - Established 2021
6.    Margaret Hendry Preschool - Established 2019
7.    Throsby Preschool - Established 2022


If you have a preschool story to share

Please take a moment to share it with the rest of us!