General News
6 May, 2025
Families in the lurch following Nest closure
Local parents fear Maryborough is without a fundamental space for free support following the closure of The Nest.
The Nest closed on Monday, April 28 after Central Goldfields Shire council was unsuccessful in obtaining much needed funding to keep it open.
Local parent Lisa Nicholls started attending The Nest facilties with her daughter nearly six years ago.
“I was in and out of hospitals for 12 months, I knew no one. I was a first time mum who had never been around kids. I had no support. The Nest was my only outlet. I looked forward to it,” she said.
Ms Nicholls was diagnosed with severe post-natal depression and felt she had nowhere else to go.
“After I had spent time at the Bendigo infant parent unit, there was no other support in Maryborough at the time, so I started going when The Nest was at the hospital here,” she said.
While Ms Nicholls made an effort to attend various local play groups, she found The Nest facilities had a different atmosphere.
“The Nest was welcoming to all, but also had really good supervision and support from volunteers. If you had a bad day, you go to The Nest. You would get support. Lots of parents don’t have that, ” she said.
“There was no judgement. It was a space where you can change or breastfeed your child, or just have a breather. It was not just a drop in space, they also have maternal and child health resources.”
Ms Nicholls said many local parents have been left feeling lost with the sudden closure of these facilities.
“We feel lost and not sure what to do. I haven’t heard anything more. I just heard it’s closing,” she said.
Ms Nicholls acknowledges while resources and assistance can be obtained through seeing a GP or the hospital, not having this approachable space is a loss to parents and carers who need the support.
According to Go Goldfields, since The Nest’s launch in 2021, kinder participation increased from 33 percent in 2019 to 85 percent in 2024.
Engagement in first-time parent programs increased from three percent in 2019 to 60 percent in 2024.
According to Go Goldfields, there have been over 2200 family visits to The Nest since July 2022, with over 1300 referrals for families to additional support.
Ms Nicholls returned to The Nest in 2023 after her son was born and observed that after its closure during the pandemic, volunteers had been replaced with paid facilitators.
Ms Nicholls suggests bringing the volunteer system back would help with the cost of running the facility.
“If money and funding is an issue, they should go back to having volunteers, that can still keep it going and keep it viable,” she said.
“I know that funding and money is tight, but we really need it. It’s important for mental health and our connections within the community.”
Volunteer with The Nest Caroline Thoroughgood said this closure will leave local families disadvantaged.
“Many families will slip through the cracks by not being able to access services from The Nest’s support. The Nest is an initiative supporting families to access services that encourage better outcomes for their children,” she said.
The Central Goldfields Shire Council is continuing to seek adequate funding within the next few months to ensure the facility reopens for drop in sessions in the future.