Central Great Southern: EYP bus service

Challenge

The Central Great Southern region of Western Australia is vast, with most residents living close to major regional centres like Albany and Denmark.

Because of this, most health, education and childcare services in the region are concentrated in these areas. This can mean people living in the inland Shires of Katanning, Kojonup, Gnowangerup, and Broomehill-Tambellup need to travel long distances to access them.

These transport hurdles can discourage families and children from accessing the services they need, driving inequality and lower health and wellbeing outcomes, especially for children.

Impact

The EYP bus service in the Central Great Southern has helped families and children:

Overcome isolation:
Local families often face geographical isolation; the bus connects remote households with vital medical checkups and developmental resources.

Improve school readiness:
By regularly taking toddlers to early learning programs, the bus sets children up for better long-term educational outcomes.

Create community connection:
It supports families in participating in community events, building a stronger social fabric and reliable support networks.

Sustainability

The WA state government and Minderoo Foundation have committed substantial funding to build the Katanning Early Childhood Hub, which will co-locate long day care, a family centre, and child health offices.

The bus service acts as a foundation for this larger initiative, ensuring families can reach this hub and utilise its services once it is fully complete. The success of this model is also helping other EYP communities to roll out their own transport solutions.

The Derby EYP has now implemented its own transport solution – the Pandanus Park remote service – a dedicated four-wheel drive bus operates for the remote community of Pandanus Park (near Derby) to support children and families traveling to early learning programs and health appointments.

This will also serve as a foundation to support the new Derby Early Learning and Family Centre, with 30 (growing to 48) early childhood education and care places and 30 (growing to 35) after-school care places for families in Derby, Mowanjum, and Pandanus Park.

The service is expected to open in 2029 and will be owned and run by Ngunga Group Womens Aboriginal Corporation.

Contact EYP Central Great Southern

Michelle Duke
Project Director Early Years Partnership
Department of Communities
0432 836 502
michelle.duke@communities.wa.gov.au

Rebecca Clarkson
Head of Early Years Partnership
Minderoo Foundation
0478 845 665
rclarkson@minderoo.org