Gowrie Victoria

The Lady Gowrie Story

The Gowrie Story begins in 1930 with a group of Melbourne women of remarkable vision and enthusiasm. Realising the impact of children's early experience on their later development and wishing to extend the influence of the growing number of nursery schools, these public spirited women formed The Nursery School Committee "to consider ways of furthering the new nursery school experiment in Victoria".

In 1932, the committee was re-named the Demonstration Nursery School Committee and over the next few years guided the establishment of several nursery schools including one at the Children's Hospital.




With extraordinary foresight, this voluntary committee formed a working party in early 1938 to draw up tentative plans for a demonstration Centre for preschool child development in each capital city. A detailed memorandum and plans were taken to Canberra in April and discussed with the Director General of Health. The need for better care for the very young had also been urged by other influential agencies and the valuable support of Her Excellency, The Lady Gowrie, wife of the Governor General did much bring about a quick approval of the scheme. Late in April, the Prime Minister wrote to the Premiers in each state:

"It has been decided that a Demonstration Centre should be established in each Capital City at which not only will the methods of care and instruction of young children be tested and demonstrated, but also problems of physical growth, nutrition and development will be studied. These Centres will be under the direction of the Commonwealth Department of Health".

Because of the inspiration provided by Lady Gowrie, it was decided that each of the six Centres would bear her name - The Lady Gowrie Child Centre. During the years 1939-40, Her Excellency personally opened each of the Centres at a public gathering.

Over the next fifty years, the value of the Centres in impressing on Australian parents and educationalists the value of early care and education can scarcely be over estimated. The initiative of this enterprising and optimistic group has been the spark for an extensive range of services to young children. Subsequent Committees and Boards of Management, with continuing support from the Federal and State Governments and outstanding commitment from volunteers and staff have enabled the growth of programs which fulfil the hopes of those dauntless pioneering women.

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