Goodstart Tiwi

Inclusive and nurturing early learning and preschool

Small and focused long day care on Larrakia country.

See gallery

47 Tiwi Gardens Road, TIWI, 0810, NT

6:45am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday
Open every weekday of the year, except public holidays

Nursery, Toddler, Preschool

See gallery

Welcome to Goodstart Tiwi!

We're your local early learning and long day care centre built on Larrakia country. As a smaller service, we have three rooms for different age groups, where we can nurture and focus on the children.

We have a dedicated nursery for our babies, a toddler learning space for adventurous explorers, and a preschool classroom where we deliver a teacher-led, play-based curriculum based on the Early Years Framework.

You'll find us tucked away from the main Trower Road and Rocklands Drive. We're next door to Regis Tiwi-Age Care, near Darwin Hospital and Casuarina Shopping Centre. Why not book a tour and let us show you around our welcoming centre?

What makes Goodstart Tiwi special:

Longstanding, highly qualified staff with bachelor's and master's degrees  
Small, cosy centre in a quiet area away from traffic
Beautiful outdoor yard with plenty of natural resources
Welcoming approach and open communication from the centre team
High-quality learning environments supported by stretch Quality Rating Scales 
Seamless preschool and transition to school programs
Working with Early Childhood Australia for the inclusion of all children
Stay and play programs to make your journey with us smooth
Ask us about our Garden to Plate program

Our educators are dedicated to families and children, fostering a stimulating learning environment that supports each child's growth and development. Many have been with Goodstart for 10+ years!

Among our staff, we have Hindi, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Filipino, and Mandarin speakers. We also teach the children Auslan and sign together, further expanding their language skills.

We plan regular incursions and excursions, including to and from our local Bunnings, and St John Ambulance. Park rangers come to give the children a wise talk about crocodiles, and we visit a fruit and vegetable garden.

These are great for expanding the experience of our centre children, and we're planning a 'Bush Kindy' program, too.

We are committed to creating a warm, inclusive, and community-focused centre. Meaningful relationships with families and children are at the heart of everything we do.

Book a tour and let us show you the difference at Goodstart Tiwi.

Learn more about Goodstart Tiwi

At Goodstart Tiwi, our philosophy centres around the belief that every child is a unique individual with their own interests and strengths. We embrace a play-based learning approach that nurtures curiosity and creativity, allowing children to explore their world in meaningful ways. 
We prioritise: 
1. Holistic Development: Supporting cognitive, emotional, social, and physical growth through engaging and developmentally appropriate activities. 
2. Family and Community Engagement: Building strong partnerships with families and the community to create a supportive network for each child. 
3. Inclusive Environment: Celebrating diversity and ensuring that all children feel valued, respected, and included. 
4. Lifelong Learning: Instilling a love of learning by encouraging exploration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. 
Through our philosophy, we aim to create a safe, nurturing environment where children can thrive and become confident, capable learners. 
Children need to feel safe and supported to learn and grow, so we promote key educator relationships between our educators and children. Your child will have at least one educator (their key educator) who takes them under their wing and really gets to know them. 
Our Key Educator relationships help children form secure attachments. Educators work closely with smaller groups and individual children to better understand each child. These relationships lead to improved outcomes for children as we foster more communication between families and educators. 
We inform families regularly about their child's progress and welcome family involvement in our centre events and activities.  
At our Tiwi centre, we're proud to inspire your child's love of learning with the support of our passionate and qualified early childhood experts. Teachers with bachelor's degrees run our preschool program, so children can be well on their way to excellent learning outcomes by the time they start reception. 
At Goodstart, we believe all children deserve the best possible start in life, which includes access to high-quality early childhood education and care. We offer:  
- Discounts on multiple days  
- All day sessions  
- Discounted shorter sessions  
- Fee assistance programs for families that need support
We work closely with parents to ensure the individual needs, interests and strengths of children are considered, and our learning goals reflect them. Using Storypark, a wonderful communication platform, we stay in close touch with families and ensure you're well informed about your child's development and achievements. 
Click here to book your tour or call our Family Services team to find out more on 1800 222 543.

The educators at Goodstart Tiwi have been amazing in the time my girls have been attending. They know every child’s name as soon as they walk through the door with no hesitation. Goodstart Tiwi is a great fit for our family and I highly recommend.

Crystal

My daughter was in Goodstart Tiwi for almost 3 years until she graduated preschool last year. She had a great time here and she learned a lot from the educators. We love Goodstart Tiwi, highly recommend, great staff and security is superb not to mention they provide good meals and snacks for the kids. Keep up the good work guys, we miss you all.

Reylynn

Enrol now!

When every moment counts, make them Goodstart moments.

Enquire now

Hello! My name is Dawn Davey, and I am the Centre Director at Goodstart Early Learning Tiwi.

My name is Dawn Davey, and I am the Centre Director at Goodstart Early Learning Tiwi. I am a qualified Early Childhood Teacher with over six years of experience within the Goodstart network and a professional background in early childhood education spanning the full age range of 0–5 years.

Throughout my career, I have maintained a strong commitment to the development and wellbeing of all children, underpinned by a belief in the importance of early learning as the foundation for lifelong success. I am passionate about creating inclusive, engaging, and high-quality learning environments where every child is supported to develop in their own unique way.

My areas of expertise include early years pedagogy, inclusive education, and the design and implementation of educational programs that meet the diverse needs of children. I also bring substantial experience in leading and managing teams, staff training and development, budget oversight, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory standards.

At Goodstart Tiwi, I work alongside a highly skilled and dedicated team of educators who share a collective vision to provide the highest standard of care and education. As a leader, I prioritise a positive and professional team culture, encourage continuous improvement, and foster strong partnerships with families through open and respectful communication.

I warmly invite you to visit our centre and meet the team. To arrange a personalised tour, please call us on (08) 8945 5005 or click the 'Book a tour' button above. If our available times are not suitable, I am happy to assist in arranging an alternative time to suit your needs.

Structured Preschool Program

At Tiwi, you and your child can enjoy the best of both worlds. Our centre offers a preschool program and long day care under the one roof. Our preschool teachers are University qualified and provide a play-based learning program that will support your child in learning the skills for school and life.