Our Team

I have been in the childcare industry for over 19 years in many different positions ranging from an Assistant through to Operations Manager and have found that my most favourite role is being a Centre Director.  I love establishing relationships with families so in my role I do everything from greeting families in the morning to sending them off at the end of the day with reports on the fun their children have had.  It’s a pleasure to spend time in the classrooms and I thoroughly enjoy the planning and processes that I oversee, giving me a complete overview of the operation of our Centre.

I believe in taking a holistic approach to children’s learning and development. At Bay Explorers we embrace this through the complete adoption of the Early Years Learning Framework.

As a mother to my own children, I have grown to understand the importance of building trustworthy authentic relationships with all of our families and extended families.  I love to have all of my families come and stay and spend time seeing how we are providing the best quality education and care for each individual child.  Every child is special to me and as you get to know me you will see this through the relationships I build with your children.

I absolutely feel blessed to be in my role here at Bay Explorers as we are able to finally take childcare to the next level, no limitations on children’s experiences or learning!!  I believe that I am an excellent leader for my team of Educators and strive on a daily basis to build relationships with both parents and children.

I look forward to continuing to build our centre family and to making you feel welcome at Bay Explorers.

Kind Regards,
Talisha

I first trained to enter the childcare profession in the UK.  I have always been passionate about the welfare of children, engaging and supporting them in their journey that is life, as they grow into confident and emotionally balanced young people, keeping them safe and secure in all their experiences.

I have lived in Hervey Bay for over 20 years, with my husband and three children, who have now all flown the nest.  They are each a credit to my husband and I, as they have grown into amazing, independent and well-rounded adults.

From the day I commenced here at Bay Explorers I have felt welcome and a part of the team. The educators are all professional and passionate people, and it is clear as to why you would choose to have these people caring for your children.

I look forward to getting to know you and your children, and assist in any way I can in making your and your child’s time with us the best possible experience.

I quickly developed a passion for Early Childhood teaching and after completing high school I studied my Certificate Ill and Diploma of Early Education and Care.  After this I went on to study my Bachelor of Education at the University of Queensland and used this to begin teaching Kindergarten in Early Education and Care Services.  I have had three years of experience with this in Queensland and a further four years of experience in Western Australia. 

I have recently been a lecturer for the Cert Ill and Diploma of Early Education and Care, however, after recently starting a family of my own I have followed my passion back to teaching.  In this, I am extremely passionate about the Kindergarten program that I run, and its success depends largely on working together with all educators and families of the children to provide a community approach to learning.  I look forward to getting to know all the children, families and educators of Bay Explorers so that together we can provide amazing outcomes for each child's education.

I believe that children are the key to our future and need the best possible start in childcare and I love to provide that care so that children can excel and achieve their full potential. My goal in childcare is for all the children to have fun whilst they learn through play, and have a bond with their educators and feel that they are welcomed and a part of our big happy family. Since obtaining a role within Bay Explorers Early Learning I have been given support which has further invigorated my love of childcare; it has also given me the opportunity energise my creative side and think outside the box to ensure the best environment for all of our children.

My cultural background is an Australian South Islander with a dash of Sri Lankan Indian; I grew up enjoying a lot of cultural experiences, family bonding activities, eating loads of curries and growing together with my two older brothers. My immediate family are a close knit mob who help me to thrive every day and I can truly say they have a lot to do with the person I am today.

I love the uniqueness that each and every child has and believe that learning is a two way street that I find constantly fulfilling. I fully embrace an enhanced experience of exploring the world we live in through the mind and eyes of children. I also enjoy adding in a bit of old time fun that us "older children" (like myself, team members and even parents) would remember doing when we were kids at any chance I get!!!

"The children we have today are the children of the future."

Since being welcomed aboard the Bay Explorers team I have learnt heaps more about myself and getting back to the basics of why I entered the childcare industry in the first place. I love the support and passion that each team member consistently brings to the centre, and has towards each and every family.

"A family within a family."

I have been working in the childcare industry for nearly four years now.  I started as a trainee to gain my Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care in New South Wales and completed a Diploma in ECEC in 2015.  I am currently studying my Bachelor in Early Childhood Education online with the University of New England.

I grew up in a family of eight members.  As a middle child, I experienced looking after my younger siblings during the times my mother ran errands.  Being responsible and caring influenced my confidence to become an Early Childhood Educator.  I believe each child has to be respected for who they are and have the opportunity to learn and develop while they are in my care.

As an Early Childhood Educator, I appreciate the importance of each child’s family and I respect families’ ideas, beliefs and cultures.  I am looking forward to getting to know the Bay Explorers’ children and their families, and to build trusting relationships. 

I have only been in Hervey Bay for two years; I moved to Hervey Bay for my husband’s work.  We are very lucky to have two beautiful girls, 11 & 9 years, who seem to be growing way too quickly.

Things we love to do as a family are camping, family holidays, bush walking and simply to get out and about - oh and of course shopping is big on the agenda with two girls.

I am very passionate about children’s learning.  I’m very caring, understanding and always open for parents and families to approach me with any concerns you may have.

I look forward to meeting everyone and guiding you and your child/children in any way possible.

On weekends we love to take the children to the park, beach and go away camping.  Recently we just bought our first new home together – the perfect place to raise our children.

I thoroughly enjoy working in the childcare industry.  I strive to bond with each and every child as I believe this is very important for children – and Educators.  I also believe each and every child is unique and they all learn differently.  I currently hold a Certificate III in Early Childhood.  I hope to further my knowledge by completing a Diploma in Children’s Services.  

I look forward to meeting and bonding with all the families at Bay Explorers and making each and every one of you feel welcome.

I have just moved to the Hervey Bay area, and have spent the last 20 years living in Brisbane and working as a Family Day Care Educator.  I hold my Diploma in Children’s Services and First Aid Qualifications.  

My passion has always been child-based, and from a very young age I knew exactly where my future was – right what I’m doing now – caring for and learning from amazing children.  I am looking forward to meeting you in and around this lovely centre here at Bay Explorers.

I have been in the industry since 2015, and have completed my Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care and First Aid.  I will continue to study to improve my performance as an Educator as it is important to learn new things and to improve oneself.  I like to reflect often on how your child is learning and how I can improve in my care towards them.

My philosophy is that it begins with the child and ends with the child and we are just a small part in the scaffolding of each child.  As Montessori puts it, “…every child is to be respected as a person with individual needs and interests.”  I believe that the focal point should be on the individual needs and interests of each child and to provide an environment that will stimulate and activate your child’s needs and interests. “They naturally possess a strong capacity…and if truly interested in their activity…” children will grow and learn at an amazing rate.  It is a real honor that you entrust me with your child and I will endeavor to be the best at nurturing, caring and educating your child, when they come under my care and I extend a warm thank you to you for giving me this honor and may I work towards building and meeting all your expectations as an Educator and care provider.

I grew up in Bundaberg in a large family with four brothers and three sisters.  I was married in 1991 and am still happily married with my beloved husband, Russell.  We together have 4 amazing children, Dylan, Charmaine, Caleb and Jasmine.  

After selling our retail and manufacturing business in 2005, we renovated a double decker bus and decided to travel Queensland and the Northern Territory over a period of 8 years and returned back to Queensland in 2014 to Hervey Bay to retire our bus and be closer to ailing parents and settle here in Hervey Bay.  All my children are adults now and spread across Australia, so my nest has become increasingly empty.  This has given me the opportunity to work with children, which has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.  And it allows me to put my energy into a fun-filled time playing and singing and chatting with each of the children.

Cooking for the kids is a very rewarding experience, their palates are adventurous, the menu offering flavors from around the world. The variety is sprinkled over a 4 week rotating menu and there is always plenty of excitement when their favorites come back around.

Fresh vegetables, fruit and meat are sourced locally and afternoon tea treats such as cakes are made on site. We also cater for special dietary needs such as allergies, intolerances and cultural specific dietary requirements.

My career in hospitality spans 30 years including 10 years working in aged care.

My wife and I have a blended family of 8 kids that are mostly grown up now, the youngest being 16 – but we have 3 grand kids who are great fun. I enjoy being involved in local Aussie Rules football, including coaching juniors (crazily enough I'm playing this season with 2 of my boys). I love listening to music, tunes can be often heard from the kitchen. And the garden is a nice place to spend some time, although I usually have a brush cutter or chainsaw in hand. I have a keen interest in the future of the planet in relation to future energy needs, personally investing in renewables. I also have a weakness for technology/chocolate.

My first year at Bay Explorers was when I was working once a week whilst I was still at school.  I have graduated from school two years ago and am currently studying a course which is Certificate III in Early Education and Care.

I have worked extensively in the Kindergarten room as an assistant educator and I love it!  The children are so cute and clever and the team members at Bay Explorers are amazing.  I would like to continue working in the childcare industry to complete my Diploma.

I believe that children are unique and creative in their own ways and they all learn differently; therefore I will interact with children through many different types of learning activities to ensure they learn to their potential.

I look forward to meeting you and your child and am thankful for getting this opportunity to work at Bay Explorers Early Learning.

After my qualification as a Library Technician in Australia, I worked in various school and public libraries.  And it was during this time that I found my passion for and delight in interacting with young children coming into the library to listen to storytelling, and helping them to browse for books to explore and learn from.

I have a Diploma in Childcare Services and Care and I’ve worked in the childcare industry for seven years now and find it rewarding and challenging.  It’s a great privilege supporting your children during their early years and offering a learning environment enabling them to be confident, create caring relationships and provide opportunities to explore and learn in all areas of their development.

Married for 25 years I am blessed to have a loving and caring husband plus a beautiful little dog.  I love gardening, cooking and doing craft.  I find these hobbies very therapeutic.

I'm currently studing my Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. I love teaching my children new and exciting skills. As one of their main role models in life I love how excited they get when they learn and succeed.

I come from a large family, and I'm one of 6 children and have 6 nieces and nephews. I'm extremely honoured to be working for Bay Explorers Early Learning in Hervey Bay. I'm very passionate about working with children and my aim is to encourage children to be self-confident and independent. I love teaching and learning from your children everyday; I love getting messy and being exuberant, just like the children. I have so much love and affection to give them. Looking forward to seeing you all throughout the centre :)

I have been married for 43 years to Steve my wonderful husband and we have 3 grown sons and 10 grandchildren who bring us great pleasure.  When my sons were younger they all played soccer as did their dad and my motto was “If you can’t beat them join them” so I became a soccer coach.  I coached for 4 years the Under 6s to the Under 9s, then manager for another 4 years, then I became a soccer mum and enjoyed watching my husband and sons from the stands.

My husband and I moved from Sydney to Hervey Bay in 2004; we have a son and his family living here and our other 2 sons still live in Sydney with their families.  We miss them dearly, as the distance makes it hard to see them regularly, but we love facetime with them.

I love walking, the gym and parkrun so you might catch me anytime on the weekend either walking or running along the Esplanade.  Being active certainly helps with working in childcare as the children themselves are always on the go and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I have had a couple of different careers but working with children is the next best thing after raising my own children.  I love talking to Parents/Guardians and Grandparents and filling them in on what the child did or said that day and they swap their stories of what the child said or had done with them.  We learn so much about a child this way and how they are growing both in strength and confidence.  I love my job; it is very rewarding, sometimes I feel like a child myself when I’m at Bay Explorers.

I am looking forward to being able to help you and your children through these years of their life and see them develop into amazing and confident children.

I have three teenage children; a son and two daughters.  My fiancé and I moved to Hervey Bay for a sea change in 2012. I started as a student in that year to finish my Cert 3 in Children’s Services.   I am able to work with all age groups.  I love interacting with the children through their world of play; I enjoy being let into these play experiences as this tells me that the children are comfortable enough to share these times.  Mud pies and sand castles are much better made through a child’s imagination.

I play women’s AFL and I also enjoy running.  Our family is taking part volunteering in the Smart Pups Assistant Dogs program.  We care for a Labrador on weekends to help socialise and train it to be an Assistant Dog.  These dogs are then selected to go to a child that has seizures, autism or vision impairment.  We have had two graduates and they are now with their families. This is very rewarding as you get to see how much the dog can change the lives of the families they go to. 

I have recently moved from Melbourne with my family for the costal change.  I was inspired by my own children to undertake formal training to contribute to the Early Childhood Services Sector. I completed my Certificate III in Children’s Services in 2011 while working as a trainee in a child care centre.  My favourite part of the role was building a positive repour and trusting relationships with my families and children.  I have spent the previous four years as a nanny for various local families.  I am enthusiastic to now have the opportunity to build on all I have learnt and apply it on a broader scale at Bay Explorers in Urraween.

I am an enthusiastic person who always sees the positivity in everything achieved.  I believe in the importance of constructive and positive communication, and ensure that trusting relationships between educators, children and families are being created and preserved.  I believe that children are incredibly capable creatures with inquisitive minds and creative souls.  They take everything in their stride and I believe that being an advocate and role-model is an integral part of guiding children on their individual journey.

I am personally a lover of music and books.  You will catch me at any opportunity singing songs about anything and everything to engage children in activities and opportunities. I love to observe children’s interests and provide them with the materials and occasions to extend on these areas.  I believe by providing ample love, support, resources and opportunities to participate, I can take a role in promoting children’s growth and understanding of their importance in their community and world.

I am a very caring and understanding person.  Please feel free to approach me for anything.  I am very excited about being a part of this experience and adventure with you and your child.

I have a husband and we love to go camping on weekends, looking for different ways to create fun and adventure.  We are both very fortunate to come from big families and enjoy spending time with our relatives.

I am always around children - they are a big part of my life at home and at work.  My husband and I hope to create our very own family one day in the near future.  I have worked here at Bay Explorers for three wonderful years ... what a place to work.  I have experienced engaging with all age groups in my time here at Bay Explorers, and can’t wait to see what my future holds! 

I look forward to seeing and meeting you. Don’t be shy to say hello ��

I have a Diploma of Education and Child Care and have held various roles throughout my
career with my position as a Lead Educator being the most satisfying.  Although it can be challenging, it is also extremely rewarding.

Working in child care for so long has given me a unique perspective as I have been witness to and experienced huge changes and growth within the industry and firmly believe that children are now benefiting from the highest quality of care that has ever been offered.  I personally am committed to caring for your children to the best of my ability, and will endeavour to provide them with love and respect in an environment where they feel safe and secure, but also challenged and stimulated. And of course, a place where they know they can relax, make friends, explore and have lots and lots of serious fun!!!

It is my philosophy that children learn through play and I am constantly looking for new ideas and experiences that will enrich your child’s day while helping them develop and grow.

I am often asked why I would choose to care for other people’s children and can honestly say that nothing brightens up my day more than when I arrive at Bay Explorers and a small group of ‘little people’ run up to me, calling out my name, and launch themselves into my arms for a hug.  What an amazing way to start a busy day at work!!!

I have been working in Early Childhood since 2007.  I am married to Darryl and I have three beautiful children:  two boys and one girl, Scott, Jake and Hayley.  I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, watching movies and shopping.

I have five children ranging in age from 22 to 32 years old, and one gorgeous granddaughter. I have been blessed to have such a large loving family who are my passion in life.

I believe that children are the foundation stones for the future. At Bay Explorers I will provide a safe, nurturing, secure environment in which your child can explore, experiment and grow to their fullest potential. By providing exciting, interesting, fun educational and challenging learning experiences, the children can grow and learn through meaningful interactions with each other and their environment.

Since joining the Bay Explorers team two and a half years ago I have been supported and welcomed into a large family-based team environment. My goal is to continue to build on the strong family oriented environment to ensure each individual child is given the best opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

I look forward to meeting you and your children and working together at Bay Explorers to provide a quality foundation for your child's early learning years' experiences.