A childcare centre in north west Queensland has struggled to fill a vacant early childhood teaching role after advertising the job for 12 months and offering an annual salary of $105,000.
Curry Kids Early Learning Centre in Cloncurry, located 121 kilometres east of Mount Isa, has struggled to keep up with community growth.
In its current capacity, the childcare has 58 places available to kids, yet there are 34 children on its waitlist, most of whom are aged 0 to 2 years old.
Cloncurry Shire Mayor Greg Campbell urged graduates and staff in the sector to look past the Great Dividing Range to teach in the outback.
"We need to be able to support our local families and new families by providing access to fantastic childcare places," he said.
"To do this we need staff."
The package being offered for the role includes a 12-month contract with a salary of $105,000 plus relocation expenses of $2,000 at the start of the contract and then again at the end of the contract.
The Cloncurry Shire Council also signalled that it would support educators in undertaking undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
"Childcare is a key obstacle for parents looking to return to work," Cr Campbell said.
"If the Shire can offer childcare services to more families, more parents will be afforded the opportunity to return to the workforce and it will remove a barrier for businesses trying to attract new families to the area."
It comes as the outback town looks to expand its childcare services in line with population growth, which increased by 20 per cent according to 2021 census data.
Cloncurry Shire Council announced in October 2022 that it had been awarded more than $4 million in grant funding from the state government towards building a new childcare facility.
Cr Campbell said the new facility would serve to boost the local economy.
"This funding is critical to getting this project happening, creating a Curry Kids Early Learning Centre that will be fit to meet the need of our community," he said.
"There will always be a strong demand for childcare in the Shire.
"So, come to Cloncurry; the kids are here and the country is spectacular."
