Council celebrates the official opening of Pakenham’s brand new Child and Family Centre

The new Child and Family Centre located at Roderick Drive, Pakenham, was officially opened recently with a ceremony attended by Member for Pakenham, Emma Vulin, Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Jack Kowarzik, Councillors Cr Casey Thomsen and Cr Collin Ross and representatives from Early Childhood Management Services (ECMS). The centre has been welcoming families through the door since the commencement of term 2.

"We are thrilled to officially open Boollam Boollam Child and Family Centre, a brand-new integrated facility that fosters creativity, learning, and community for our families and children,” Mayor Kowarzik said.

“The new space includes four kindergarten rooms offering up to 132 kindergarten places for 3 and 4-year-olds, and spaces for maternal and child health services and other services such as allied health. The program room can also be used for playgroups and other community programs when not in use by the kindergarten.”

“The demand for early years infrastructure and kindergarten services in our region is rapidly growing and we’re thankful to the Victorian Government for their collaboration and co-investment in this project and in ensuring access to local services in Cardinia Shire.”

The facility’s name, ‘Boollam Boollam’, meaning butterfly, was chosen following consultation with Council’s Place Naming Committee, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Cardinia Shire community late 2024.  

Council commissioned two artists to create installations inspired by the name Boollam Boollam. In the garden of the new centre, artist Carla Gottgens has crafted a multi node installation, centred around the Yellow Sedged Skipper Butterfly and the native Blue Banded Bee. These installations light up at night and encourage visitors and children to visually learn about the life cycles of the butterfly and bee.

Inside the building, an artwork by Robert Michael Young, a Gunnai, Waradjurie, Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta, and Bunurong man, depicts the journey of a butterfly from chrysalis within the cocoon, to the butterfly emerging, crawling, and taking flight, mirroring a child’s journey of growth. 

Boollam Boollam Child and Family Centre was completed with funding support from Victorian Government through the Victorian School Building Authority’s Building Blocks Capacity Grant Program, developer contributions and Council. 

To learn more about this project please visit Building a Better Cardinia.