Our Story.

What We Do.

Since 2004, we have cultivated a pedagogy that is deeply rooted in reverence, respect and ways of being that weave truth, beauty and goodness throughout our days, igniting enquiry, imagination and delight within all aspects of our village.

“Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature.”

— Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods.

Our Philosophy

At Gaia's Nest we believe that children have the right to freedom, respect, equality, happiness, fun, education, diversity and a safe, secure and purposeful environment.

They need to be loved and nurtured. Our image of the child guides us to respectfully provide them with every opportunity to succeed as the powerful and capable learners we believe they are and for them to develop according to their own uniqueness within an environment full of beauty, gifts, challenges and provocation. We aim to delight the children as they explore their world and the natural wonders around them as they grow and learn through their play.

Whilst acknowledging that parents are the first educators of their children, we strive to provide an environment to foster and nurture the child’s sense of Belonging, Being and Becoming, establishing a growing identity as we work with families to find ways to connect home and the centre. We will provide a loving ‘home away from home’ to cultivate and support family and community, honour reconciliation and to provide and promote the building of quality attachments between children and educators.

Our holistic philosophy is supported and influenced by the guiding approaches of Reggio Emilia, Rudolf Steiner, Maria Montessori, Emmi Pikler, RIE; Magda Gerber's Resources for Infant Educarers. Constant reflective practice, rich and diverse programmes are being informed by the principles, practices and learning outcomes derived from the Early Years Learning Framework. We support empowerment and mentor-ship of all educators as we embrace the power and the journey of learning as our guiding philosophy.

Bush Philosophy

At Gaia’s Nest we are blessed to be surrounded by natural bush land. The opportunities we can source from this environment to support and teach our children are endless. We acknowledge that nature is a part of humanity; our Being. We honour and respect it’s history and that of the people who have lived here for thousands of years. We have a responsibility to protect and preserve it and to inspire the generations to come about its fragility and the impact we have on it, both negative and positive. We understand that engagement in a natural environment on a regular basis has long term health benefits and in turn promotes economic and social benefits to society both currently and in to the future. “…the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable” (Louv, R)

Guided by our philosophy and pedagogical philosophy we will:

• Honour and respect the land, leaving only footprints • Respect all flora and fauna, leaving the trees in their natural state, selecting only fallen limbs as resources • Maintain our play in the cleared zone and demonstrate care when walking along paths and in bush areas • Observe the space for when rest from bodies is needed, enabling regeneration • Observe the times when the bush requires care and replenishing; planting new tree’s and engaging Arborists to assess the safety of older trees • Research and honour the indigenous heritage of our land, working with Elders to gain our knowledge • Embrace the opportunity to develop the world’s future conservationists and scientists; children who are strong in ecological literacy and knowledgeable about sustainability and nature sustainability • Foster children’s sense of identity in the bush to develop a sense of place and belonging • Learn more about the economic benefits of the bush and it's impact on humanity and humanity's impact on it.. • Ensure the correct clothing is provided to children for play in nature in all weather • Provide benefits back to nature; acknowledge that we reciprocate to the bush the gifts it gives to us, as we inspire future generations of conservationists and lovers of nature.

Gaia -

life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it, in the form of the mother, mother earth.

Nest -

a place where something/someone flourishes, considered together with its inhabitants, at home.

We warmly welcome you to Gaia’s Nest, our home-away-from-home.

This space is our children’s home; they spend their days with us, and it holds their identity, history, and knowing. Our wish for you is to feel equally at home.

Feel free to wander; quietly, reverently, and respectfully around our spaces and pause to listen, smell, and feel what is around you.

Our children are keen tour guides and they will be happy to answer any questions or curiosities you may have. Please remain in view of our children’s educators while exploring with them.

“Receive the children in reverence,

Educate them in love,

And send them forth in freedom.”

Rudolf Steiner

Our Rating

The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a national benchmark for the quality of education and care provided by early childhood services across Australia. Services are assessed and rated by their regulatory authority against the NQS and receive a rating for each of the seven quality areas, as well as an overall rating based on their assessment results.

The purpose of the Assessment and Rating process is to support continuous improvement in the delivery of high-quality early childhood education and care. It also helps families access information about the quality of services, supporting them to make informed decisions about their child’s education, care and wellbeing.

The Seven Quality Areas - These are important to children’s learning and developmental outcomes.

Quality Area 1: Educational program and practice

Quality Area 2: Children’s healthy and safety

Quality Area 3: Physical environment

Quality Area 4: Staffing arrangements

Quality Area 5: Relationships with children

Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

Quality Area 7: Governance and leaderships