Opening hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Welcome to the Birnbial Family Centre – a place of connection and support for young people and families in Manor Lakes.
Located next to Ngarri Primary School, the Birnbial Family Centre has modern facilities, services and programs to support families, including kindergarten, maternal child health and a toy library.
This centre is managed by our early years partner KU Children’s Services. Find out more about this centre via KU.
About the Centre Name
Birnbial Family Centre was chosen as the new centre name following community consultation and collaboration with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners.
In language, Birnbial (pronounced Bin-beel) means ‘rainbow’.
Programs and Services
- Three and four-year-old kindergarten
- Maternal and child health services
- Toy Library
- Outdoor playground
- Car parking
Further information regarding kindergarten registration process and sessions is available here.
More information is available about the toy library via Little Buddies Toy Library.
Public Art
My Place is an acrylic painting reproduced on vinyl, created by artist Mandi Barton and now featured in Birnbial Family Centre. During artwork development, Mandi conducted workshops with local kindergarten children to gather ideas and collate concepts that were embodied in the final artwork.
Mandi Barton is a Yorta Yorta, Barappa Barappa, Wemba Wemba woman, an Aboriginal multidisciplinary artist and designer, project manager and an advocate for cultural safety. She has been an artist since attending IKE Institute of Koori Education in 1996, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts at Deakin University and a Cert III Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art and Design at RMIT.
Mandi has a long-standing connection with the community in the Western Region. With her employment at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operation, Geelong, at IPC Health in Wyndham Vale as well as being part of the Reconciliation Committee at Melton Shire Council and Brimbank City Council. She has actively attended and supported grassroots community meetings and programs.
Artist Statement:
My Place
My Place explores the different elements connected to the area, Manor Lakes and the Wyndham City municipality. The symbols represent 'Birnbial' and acknowledge the Wadawurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. It implements elements that shows the connection to place. Through workshops and discussions, country, the people and the animals have been identified as to what they see as ‘place’. The mural depicts the landscape of the area with long grasses, waterways, Werribee River and Lollipop Creeks, the different communities and the Songlines and culture underneath running through country. The three main symbols above the mural are the eagle, Bunjil the creator and the wildlife you see across country, the rainbow, the meaning of Birnbial in Wadawurrung language as well as the Yarning Circle where everyone comes together to share stories and connect.