Guardian Childcare & Education South Melbourne

  • Keeping children safe always comes first. All of our team are committed to uphold the highest standards of child safety. Read our approach here
  • You need to come and see why local families just like yours say our amazing centre feels like a home away from home for their children who have fun every single day. Be a part of it.
  • Every day is unique in our beautiful centre, with modern resources from nursery to our leading 2 year kindergarten program. You don’t want to miss out!
  • Meet our long-standing, passionate team who will make you and your child feel welcome and part of our fantastic community from day one.

Book a tour today to see what makes our Centre special & have all your questions answered

HOURS

Mon to Fri 7:00am to 6:30pm

ADDRESS

97-101 Tope Street, South Melbourne, VIC, 3205

SPACES AVAILABLE NOW ACROSS ROOMS

Check out our fantastic indoor and outdoor learning spaces your child will enjoy

Welcome to our Centre

At Guardian South Melbourne, you’ll find a genuine community that feels like a home away from home. Our recently refurbished early learning centre provides a nurturing environment where your child’s safety and wellbeing is our priority. We offer exceptional care and education from nursery through to our government-funded Flying Start to School kindergarten program.

At our childcare centre, your child will enjoy:

• Engaging indoor spaces featuring quality, age-appropriate resources to inspire learning.
• A unique rooftop playground and expansive outdoor areas with a bike track and veggie garden.
• An amazing team that gets to know each child’s needs with our personalised To BE Me learning milestones program.

We’re proud of our daycare centre – your child will never want to leave! Join the leading childcare provider in the area!

South Melbourne Centre Manager Image

Meet our Centre Manager Coco

"A child is an explorer. Personal experiences and relationships within their environment make up the knowledge that they gather through play and the natural environment".

Daily Fees

Value for quality care. See our daily fees and your CCS-reduced cost

View Daily Fees
To Be Me

To BE Me is our exclusive learning program designed for each age and stage of a child’s first years. To BE Me sets the standard for early learning with a contemporary approach tailored to your child’s age, interests and strengths. It sets easy to follow Development Pathways and encompasses our educational programs, room set-ups, daily rhythms and the way we support your child. Read more here!

Our Flying Start to School program provides a specialised 2-year curriculum for children aged 3 to 5. Our unique program has two stages - Becoming Me for 3 year olds and Being Me for 4 year olds. Using developmental milestones and continuous monitoring of your child's progress, this program is designed to make sure your child gets a flying start to school. Read more HERE

Flying start to school

Where children are supported to be brave, curious, and bold in their learning, for the best possible start to life.

Reviews from Google

(34)
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Matthew H.
All the staff at Guardian South Melbourne are wonderfully caring, attentive, and always friendly and welcoming! What stands out for me is their high-level skill in really listening with professional and sincere engagement – to help support and educate each & every individual child with genuine, loving care. This experience has shaped our daughter’s young life with such immense positivity, and so much playful joy – we are deeply grateful. Thank you to Coco & Jade, and thank you to your entire stellar team! The positive influence that you all have on our whole family, every single day, means the world to us.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much Matthew for your heartfelt feedback. We’re truly grateful for your kind words and so pleased to hear how positively your family’s experience with us has been. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our educators’ care, attentiveness, and genuine engagement have made such a meaningful impact on your daughter’s early years. A special thank you for recognising Coco and Jade, along with the entire team. Their dedication to creating a nurturing, joyful, and inclusive environment is something we’re very proud of. Your appreciation means the world to us, and we’re honoured to be part of your child’s learning journey!
Jade H.
Response from the owner:We truly appreciate your 5-star review Jade! Your support means a lot to our team!
Thomas L.
William G.
The best centre in this area. We love this community and the kinder program is amazing. The food is the highlight as well.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words, William! We’re so happy your time at our centre in South Melbourne is going so well. We are keen to keep providing a great experience for all Guardian families and their little ones 😊
jaeyong J.
We LOVE this centre!!!!!!! Coco and the team is amazing!!! Everyone is so kind and my child loves going to care all the time. The kinder program is very good too. Highly recommend!!!!!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you Jaeyong for your great review for our centre in South Melbourne. We work hard to meet expectations like yours, and always strive to find ways to improve our centres. Glad to you hear you have had such a great experience and we are so happy to hear that we are meeting your expectations. We will continue to provide the best possible care for out families and children 😊
O’Nill J.
Alireza H.
We are delighted with our daughter's experience at Guardian Childcare South Melbourne. Coco, and the team, thank you for your exceptional care and attention!
Response from the owner:Thank you Alireza for your great review for our centre in South Melbourne. We are so happy to hear that we are meeting your expectations. We will continue to provide the best possible care for out families and children 😊
Nicole H.
Very friendly team that looks after my kids. My kids learn new things and how to be social. Beautiful location and fun rooftop with a cool playground
Response from the owner:Thank you Nicole for your great review for our centre in South Melbourne. We are so happy to hear that we are meeting your expectations. We will continue to provide the best possible care for out families and children 😊
Fiona P.
Coco, Carissa, Nat, Angie, Stella, Chantelle, Sergio and the whole team made the transition to daycare/returning to work as seamless as it could possibly be. The space is a beautiful and safe sanctuary with lots of lovely improvements since Coco took over. My son gets so excited when he sees that we are nearly there and loves spending time with all of the gorgeous staff and his friends each day. I am very grateful to the team for the love and care that they have shown our family and appreciate their hard work! I would not hesitate to recommend this centre and team to anyone looking for quality childcare where their child will thrive.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the awesome review, Fiona! We work hard to meet expectations like yours, and always strive to find ways to improve our centres. Glad to you hear you have had such a great experience!
Sharon W.
This centre is constantly exceeding my expectations. We are so lucky to be part of such an amazing little community where our children are thriving with their learning and making such amazing friendships. The educators are so warm and loving. They always let me know how our children's day was and what they were up to.
I HAVE to mention the centre manager Coco! What an amazing, awesome, experienced and fun manager. She has been there for over a year now and has made such a positive impact on the centre and its never been or felt better in the 4 years our family has been there.
Thank you so much to everyone!
Response from the owner:Thank you Sharon for your great review for our centre in South Melbourne. We are so happy to hear that we are meeting your expectations. We will continue to provide the best possible care for our families and children 😊
Shaley I.
This center is very unique. It’s children’s home away from home. Everyone is happy, the children, the staff, the families and even the placement students. This center just got good vibes!!
Highly recommend this one.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words, Shaley! We’re so happy your visit to our centre went so well. We are keen to keep providing a great experience for all Guardian families and their little ones 😊
Eleonora M.
Excellent centre with genuinely caring director Coco and all educators and staff! We love it:)
Response from the owner:Thank you Eleonora for your 5-star rating for our centre in South Melbourne. We really appreciate your positive review and look forward to creating a great experience at Guardian over many more days to come!
Philip L.
Overall, I would highly recommend this daycare center to anyone looking for a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment for their child. What really sets this daycare apart, though, is the sense of community that they foster. The staff are always willing to answer questions and provide updates on my child's progress, and they encourage parents to get involved in the daycare's activities and events. It's clear that they truly care about the well-being of the children in their care, and that makes all the difference.
Response from the owner:Thank you Philip for your 5-star rating for our centre in South Melbourne. We really appreciate your positive review and look forward to creating a great experience at Guardian over many more days to come!
Monica L.
I recommend The Guardian South Melbourne to every single family! All the educators(Naz, Tara, Stella, Anna and many more), the centre manager Coco, and Mariam, Carissa and the chef Sergio are so professional, super attentive and fantastic in every single aspect of their job.
They’re so passionate and they’re like our second family! Always with a smile on their face and always ready to share a moment of our son while at the centre.
The guardian is without doubt the best daycare in South Melbourne and surroundings! :)
Response from the owner:Thank you Monica for your great review for our centre in South Melbourne. We are so happy to hear that we are meeting your expectations. We will continue to provide the best possible care for our families and children 😊
Julia B
I cannot recommend Guardian South Melbourne more highly. My son started in July at 2 years old having never gone to a daycare before. The staff are so caring, high energy, trustworthy and lovely. My son settled so fast as every educator really gave him that special attention and extra love. My son always came home happy, well fed, changed, and most of all had had a great time and was safe. Thank you so much Guardian!!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you Julia for your 5-star rating for our centre in South Melbourne. We really appreciate your positive review and look forward to creating a great experience at Guardian over many more days to come!
Aryna P.
Darina A.
My daughter was one of the first 5 kids joined Guardian South Melbourne back in April 2019. The center managers since then were changing so frequent I sometimes even started forgetting their names. Teacher turnover was very high, the overall vibe of the center was disaggregated, not like a family feeling.

However, everything has changed since Coco joined the center. Let me point out the main improvements:
- Staff turnover decreased significantly.
- Less kids were crying at the drop off
- The overall presentation of the Centre has been changed. For every occasion (Halloween, Christmas and etc.) decorations were provided.
- Organized excursions, breakfast with families (for example for father's day), photo sessions, trick and treat parties and etc. were taken a place.
- Communication between center manager and parents improved significantly via frequent posts on Storypark in regards to updates, fortnightly emails and verbal conversations
- The overall center vibe is improved and I can see its reflection in my daughter's behavior. Now, she enjoys going to the center and treats Coco as her best friend.
- Overall teacher's mood improved as well, as I can see a board with the awards provided to them encouraging and valuing their work.

Thank you for your passionate work Coco!

Regards,
Darina Assylbek
Response from the owner:Hello Darina, Thank you for your feedback about our centre in South Melbourne! We are happy to hear such good things about you and your little one’s experience with us, especially since Coco has come along. Coco is a real asset to our team at Guardian, South Melbourne. At Guardian, we’re all about partnering with our families to deliver the best quality outcomes for our children and we really appreciate your review. ​We will pass on this wonderful feedback to the centre team as well.
Meih M.
I would recommend this centre
Berik A.
Our child is the first who joined to Guardian. At the beginning it was good. A couple months later we started seeing some issues: centre managers keep changing, often understaffed and teachers were leaving. However when Coco has joined as the centre manager, we started seeing transformation of child centre. Way less teachers were leaving and our child is happy now to go to child centre 5 days a week. It's also worth to mention that Child centre organised an excursion to South Melbourne market with kids. It was just wow.
Jasmine Y.
My nephew wakes up every day excited and looking forward to going to school, great environment and teaching staff
Calvin I.
The centre just got good vibes!!!!!! Educators there are super friendly and knowledgeable!! The kinder program is just fabulous and the integrated kinder (long day care hours) works really well for parents like us (both working full times).
I will recommend Guardian to everyone I know!!
Sylvia W.
Great center. Friendly staff.
Natasa M.
- The Educators are super nice, supportive and professional.
- The Management Team is super nice, very responsive and supportive.
- I like a lot weekly topics that learnings is based on.
- Meals are very delicious.
- My daughter has learned so much since starting her childcare.
- Storypark app is the highlight of the day :)
Response from the owner:Thank you for your feedback about our centre in South Melbourne! We are happy to hear such good things about you and your little one’s experience with us. At Guardian, we’re all about partnering with our families to deliver the best quality outcomes for our children and really appreciate your review.
Claire N.
My daughter LOVES going to guardian every day. She has formed really close bonds with the educators, Naz, Tara, Stella, Jade, Nat, Anna etc... most of whom have been at the centre for the 2+ years she has been there. She talks about them all the time at home! She is constantly learning and developing through the wide variety of activities they participate in, i think their weekly cooking session is her favourite! Our family around the world love the daily storypark updates. Guardian South Melbourne is an amazing centre for our requirements and would recommend to others.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the awesome review, Claire ! We work hard to meet expectations like yours, and we’re happy to hear that we met your expectations. We strive to find ways to improve our centres as we play a vital role in lives of our families and children.
Jonathan O.
We have had a great experience with them so far. The staff who looks after our daughter is extremely professional, helpful and friendly. Management has been great too.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your feedback on our South Melbourne centre. Here at Guardian, we are all about partnering with our families to deliver high-quality learning outcomes for our children and really appreciate your positive response. Thanks once again and look forward to seeing you at the centre!
Korina M.
We moved both of our daughters over to Guardian from another center in the area a couple of years ago and couldn't be happier with the decision. The staff are all warm and friendly and quality of care is amazing. I could not recommend highly enough - we love being a Guardian family.
Response from the owner:Thank you Korina for your review and so pleased to hear that you are happy with our South Melbourne centre. We strive to find ways to improve our centres as we play a vital role in lives of our families and children. Look forward to seeing you at our centre !
chris S.
Response from the owner:Hi Chris, it's great to hear that you have given 5 stars for your experience at Guardian South Melbourne. We appreciate you taking the time to leave your review.
Kokilanath T.
Response from the owner:Hi Kokilanath, it's great to hear that you have given 5 stars for your experience at Guardian South Melbourne. We appreciate you taking the time to leave your review.
Alison S.
The staff are so warm and caring. They are sensitive to not only my son's needs but mine.

The facilities are amazing, with loads of natural light and outdoor play space perfect for city apartment kids.
Doline N.
Sumaiya G.
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Rhythm of the Day

We know children (and families) like routine. Whilst no two days of learning are ever the same - here's what a day at Guardian might look like.

Morning

Our friendly Nursery team of familiar educators will be there to greet you and support your baby to settle in for the day.  Breakfast time is available & families are welcome to stay and enjoy with the children. This is also a great chance for conversation to share what is important and how your baby’s night at home was.

Mid-Morning

Our nursery learning environments are set up indoors and outdoors for your baby to engage with a variety of planned experiences while they interact with our team such as exploring picture books, singing songs together. We also offer morning tea.

Middle of the Day

Dependent on the needs of every baby, we time lunch to suit the children. Team members will support your child to eat and/or have a bottle, and when they are ready, are gently settled for sleep or rest. With an open-door policy, families can enjoy lunch/bottle time with your baby if you wish.

Mid-Afternoon

Our nursery planned experiences (both indoor and outdoor) continue and there are opportunities for movement, playing games, more books and songs, or sensory exploration. Afternoon snack is provided.

End of Day

We’ll have your baby’s belongings ready for you at pick up time. The Nursery team will share information about your baby’s day and their learning, preparing you and your child for a smooth transition to your evening. Please grab a piece of fruit or snack on the way out!

What's included in the Guardian Experience

From nutritious meals and engaging learning programs —it’s all covered in your daily rate. No hidden extras, just peace of mind for you and a great day for your child.

Hat, wetbag and sunscreen

Hat, wetbag and sunscreen

5 meals per day

5 meals per day

All incursions and excursions

All incursions and excursions

Nappies, wipes and formula

Nappies and wipes

Storypark parenting app

Storypark parenting app

Long day care hours year around

Long day care hours year around

Frequently asked questions

What we do to keep children safe

Create Safe Spaces & Practices

  • Nappy change areas are designed to have visibility windows and are set up for maximum supervision
  • Our policies also cater for team members being in sight or sound of another team member at all times.
  • Safety embedded in daily programs – by conducting daily checklists, comprehensive risk assessments, and more
  • personal phones or devices are not allowed in learning spaces.

Safe People Who Follow Safe Policies

  • Working With Children Checks for all team members. Automatic alerts if a WWCC is revoked and team member not eligible for shifts
  • Rigorous reference checks – must provide previous line managers for their past roles
  • Annual compulsory Suitability Declarations to confirm ongoing fitness to work with children
  • Mandatory reporting and speaking up – report concerns immediately and all concerns will be investigated fully
  • Ongoing mandatory training in child safety, including annual refreshers and leadership-specific modules

Controlling Access to our Centres

  • Multiple levels of security in all centres
  • All visitors must sign in and present photo ID before entry
  • All tradespeople must provide a WWCC & complete Guardian-specific induction.

Read more here

Daily Fee Information

Daily Rates

Our daily rates are all inclusive and have no additional charges for incursions / excursions or any of our learning programs. The rates shown are an estimate based on using Childcare Subsidy (CCS) subsidised hours. The CCS helps lower your out-of-pocket costs, with subsidy rates dependant on your individual family eligibility levels.

What You Might Pay After CCS
Age of Room Daily Rate 60% Subsidy 80% Subsidy
Nursery (0–2) $198.05 $102.15 $70.18
Toddler (2–3) $198.05 $102.15 $70.18
Kinder (3–5) $188.31 $92.41 $60.44

The Victorian Government offers funding to provide families up to 15 hours of Free Kindergarten a week, in addition to the Childcare Subsidy. The funding offsets the fees for three and four-year-old children that are part of the centre’s long day care Kindergarten program. Families will save up to $2,101 a year for children aged three-years-old and above in eligible long day cares in 2025. Ask for more details when you tour the centre.

What should I bring, and what do you provide?

What we Provide

  • Nappies and wipes
  • Bed linen
  • Guardian hat
  • SPF 50+ sunscreen
  • All nutritious meals and snacks

What to Bring

  • Water bottle
  • Spare change of clothing, labelled
  • Soft toy or comfort blanket for nap time
  • Baby's bottles for formula or breastmilk

Who are the team that will be looking after my child?

South Melbourne Centre Manager Image

Coco

Our Centre team, led by our experienced Centre Manager Coco, prides themselves on creating a great sense of community for all families.

Each role in the Centre is designed to work together to help create a nurturing environment for every child in each of our learning spaces.

In our Nursery Room, the dedicated team has a special role in creating secure attachments, routines, and strong relationships. Unique to Guardian nurseries is our Baby Ambassador, who is your go-to person for you and your baby’s first 12 months with us. They will know every detail about your baby: how breast or bottle milk is managed, how they like to eat, their sleeping routines, the nappies they wear, and more. With babies as young as six weeks in the Centre, it’s the Baby Ambassador’s job to work with families and Educators to help make our Nursery feel just like home.

Our Educators across the age groups work together to create fun, stimulating, and age-appropriate experiences for every child in their care. They are dedicated, experienced professionals who are allocated to a specific room so they can get to know each child individually and support their learning and development.

As part of our 2-year Flying Start to School program, we have degree-qualified Teachers who use the latest teaching practices to help your child build essential practical and social skills, ensuring they’re ready for their next big adventure—school!

Each room has a Lead Educator or Teacher who is responsible for planning and implementing an effective ongoing cycle of planning, documentation, and evaluation of the room’s learning program.

At the core of the Centre is our Cook—make sure you check out their daily menu when you visit. They help make food part of the learning journey and love seeing how children respond to new and exciting flavours.

The team is supported by a strong Leadership Team, including an Assistant Centre Manager and an Educational Leader.

Every role at the Centre is as important as the next.

How will you share updates about my child’s day?

Great communication is vital in our collaborative partnerships with families at the Centre. We have a variety of different ways we communicate with you about your child’s learning and progress:


  1. Storypark app - Stay connected to your child's day with regular updates, including photos and learning insights

  2. Pick-up and drop-off updates – Our Educators will share highlights from their day, including experiences they enjoyed, mealtimes, and naps to support your evening routine.

  3. In-room learning exchange displays make our weekly learning plans easy to see so you know what your child will be learning.

  4. Centre Newsletters – Great for community connection and wider Centre and team updates.

  5. Development documentation and meetings for your individual child’s progress.


But remember our door is always open.

What are the main features of this Centre

Our South Melbourne childcare centre offers:

  • Quality learning programs such as Joy of Reading, Cooking and Sustainability
  • Engaging indoor learning spaces full of quality educational resources
  • Expansive outdoor play spaces with a sandpit, bike track and veggie garden
  • On-site Chef providing fresh snacks and meals daily
  • Highly experienced Educators and degree-qualified Teachers
  • Nappies, SPF 50+ sunscreen, high-quality formula and bed linen provided
  • Extended hours of care each weekday from 6:30am to 6:30pm

Our Learning Programs

Learning should be fun! Learning through play encourages children to explore and understand their world at their own pace. It helps build their knowledge, develop confidence, and embrace curiosity.

Learning should be fun! Learning through play allows children to build their knowledge, develop confidence, and embrace curiosity.

Kindergarten Program
Flying start to school

Our Flying Start to School kindergarten program is lead by degree qualified Teachers in a long day care setting. Our specialist two-year program is committed to supporting your child as they prepare for big school. We focus on nurturing their confidence, making friends and social emotional growth while also supporting their abilities in reading, writing, counting, and thinking skills. Whether it’s building with blocks, practicing their first letters, or learning to share with friends, every experience is carefully designed to support your child’s development.

Our Centre is a recipient of funding as part of the VIC Government’s Free Kinder Program. Eligible children aged three years and above will receive up to $2101 in additional subsidies to reduce your out-of-pocket fees. Ask for more details when you tour the centre.

Out and about

Through excursions, children are supported to expand their world, to get to know their community, and have a sense of belonging. Their learning thrives when they feel safe, welcome, and that they belong.

STEM

Children discover the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through age-appropriate activities that are designed to foster curiosity and develop foundational skills like problem-solving and creativity.

Cooking

Cooking experiences teach numeracy by counting ingredients, and weighing and measuring quantities and volume, while managing these tasks supports independence and confidence.

Ella Language

Learning languages through Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) supports brain development and social skills and creates opportunities to celebrate cultural diversity.

Joy of Reading

Reading aloud to children each day inspires imagination and supports thinking. Books with rhythm, rhyme and word patterns make stories more playful and memorable.

Sustainability

From growing veggies and foraging in the garden for that day’s meal ingredients to learning about recycling, children learn about being part of a community, connecting to their environment and understanding their impact on the world.

What our families say about the centre

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Guardian Centres Nearby

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