19 August 2025

Belconnen families 'grieving' as 30-year-old childcare centre faces sale, demolition

| By James Coleman
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Belconnen childcare

Tammy Purssell, together with Jenny’s family, are lobbying the ACT Government to consider other options to keep the centre open. Photo: James Coleman.

Families in Belconnen are scrambling to save one of Canberra’s longest-running childcare centres from closing to make way for a new apartment complex.

SDN Bluebell, on 44 College Street, has operated since 1996 and currently cares for 95 children with 20 staff. But the centre will shut its doors for the last time on 19 December when the lease ends and the owner sells to a residential developer.

“We’re devastated, we’re grieving,” parent Jenny said.

“It’s been such a critical part of our lives – it’s an extension of our family. It’s been here for 30 years and I know so many people who have sent their kids to this day care, and they’re now grown up.”

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Another parent, Tammy Purssell, said the closure would have long-term effects.

“We need high-quality childcare. It sets up kids for the rest of their lives to be good learners, to be incredible citizens, and not to have mental health issues. Those first three to five years are critical, and that’s the quality of care you get at a place like Bluebell … and for it to be taken off the market, it’s going to have impacts for our population going forward.”

Families were notified of the impending closure by email on 13 August.

“We’re trying to get political attention, so we’re not giving up even though the news is it’s gone,” Jenny said.

“We’re going to go down fighting.”

Belconnen childcare

SDN Bluebell opened in 1996. Photo: James Coleman.

SDN Childcare Services was originally founded as the Sydney Day Nursery Association in 1905, when it opened NSW’s first day care centre in Woolloomooloo. Bluebell, named for the ACT’s floral emblem, is its only centre in Canberra.

For Jenny and Tammy, Bluebell’s consistently high ratings under the National Quality Framework Standard (NQFS) were a major drawcard.

At a time when parts of Australia’s childcare sector have been scrutinised for safety and staffing issues, both parents described Bluebell as a standout.

“You watch when you tour the rooms, and you see educators interacting with kids, and they’re down on the floor with the kids, they’re holding the children,” Tammy said.

“I went to another centre which had all the same things, but it was, it was the staff and their processes which were the different … and that’s made us stay here.”

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SDN said it had searched for an alternative site over several years with the help of an external consultant and the ACT Government’s regulator CECA, but no option was viable.

“SDN Bluebell has been a valued part of the Canberra community for many years, and this decision was not made lightly,” SDN CEO Kay Turner told Region.

“We are saddened by these circumstances and recognise that this is difficult news for children, families and our highly valued staff. We are grateful to everyone who has been a part of SDN Bluebell’s journey and helped shape our village.”

The organisation said it would work closely with families and staff during the transition and host a farewell event later this year to “celebrate the legacy and contributions of SDN Bluebell and the strong community it has fostered”.

But parents are urging the ACT Government to revisit other possible sites. Tammy and Jenny are calling for a reassessment of a former childcare space inside Belconnen Westfield and ex-government sites such as the old Cook Primary School.

Belconnen childcare

The parents argue the government should issue a waiver to allow Bluebell to operate at a former childcare space in Belconnen Westfield. Photo: James Coleman.

CECA has previously ruled the mall site unsuitable due to fire safety concerns. But Canberra Liberals MLA Chiaka Barry has written to ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry on behalf of parents, asking for an exemption.

“It appears that in the current circumstances, a waiver could be granted as an interim measure to allow Bluebell to continue to operate in the short term until a more permanent site is located,” Ms Barry wrote.

Jenny and Tammy haven’t even thought about other options yet.

“It’s a scary thought to have to put your child somewhere else you don’t know, when you’ve already known somewhere that’s incredible,” Tammy says.

The ACT Government has been contacted for comment.

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