About Treehouse Early
Learning Centre, Hillcrest
Treehouse Early Learning Centre has been part of the Hillcrest community since long before the rebrand. At 2 Balmoral Street, our doors open at 6:30am every weekday, 52 weeks of the year, because that is what families with real working lives actually need.
We accept children from 6 weeks old through to school age across six dedicated rooms, with a licensed capacity of 109 places. Every one of those children is known by name: by their educators, by our team leaders, and by our Centre Director. That personal knowledge is not a promise we make in a brochure. It is how this centre operates every single day.
Our approach is built on the belief that children are naturally curious, capable, and full of ideas worth exploring. Through play-based, child-led learning and meaningful connections with nature and the world around them, our educators support, guide, and extend each child's thinking every single day. You will see that reflected in how our rooms are set up, how our educators speak with children, and in the daily photos and videos your family receives through the Xplor app.
Zarna Shah
Centre Director, Treehouse Early Learning Centre
parents choose us
Why Tree House?
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Years of Leadership
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Dedicated Rooms
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Weeks Open Per Year
What is the story behind Treehouse Early Learning Centre?
Treehouse Early Learning Centre was built on a single, clear purpose: to create a community where every child, every family, and every educator genuinely matters. At 2 Balmoral Street, Hillcrest, that purpose shows up every day in how the centre is run, how educators connect with children, and how families are welcomed.
Unlike large corporate chains or multi-location franchises, Treehouse operates one centre. One team. One community. That focus means educators are not spread across locations. Families know the people caring for their children. The Centre Director, Zarna Shah, has been part of this community since 2012, and her commitment to the children and families here is the foundation the entire centre is built on.
The name Treehouse is intentional. A treehouse is a place children seek out, a place they feel ownership of, a place where imagination runs free. It is safe because someone built it with care, and exciting because it belongs to the child. That is exactly what we want every child to experience here
Meet Zarna Shah, Centre Director
- Diploma of Early Childhood Education & Care
- At Treehouse since 2012
I joined this centre as an Educator in 2012. Over the years I worked as a Team Leader, then Assistant Director, before stepping into the Centre Director role. More than a decade later, I still walk through these doors every morning excited about what the day holds for the children in our care.
My goal is simple: every child who comes to Treehouse should feel that this is their place. A place where their ideas are taken seriously, where they feel safe to try things, and where the adults around them genuinely know them as individuals. That is what I have worked to build here, and it is what I am most proud of.
I believe the relationship between a family and their early learning centre should feel like a partnership. You are the expert on your child. We are the experts on early childhood development. Together, we can make their early years genuinely extraordinary.
How We Teach and Why It Works.
Our educational program is guided by two frameworks: the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Framework (NQF). Together they shape how our educators plan, observe, respond to, and support every child in our care.
At Treehouse, we believe every child is a unique individual with their own background, interests, strengths, and abilities. Everything we do flows from that belief.
Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
The EYLF is the national framework guiding early childhood education in Australia. It focuses on five learning outcomes: a strong sense of identity, connection to the world, wellbeing, confident and involved learning, and effective communication. Our educators plan activities and observations with these outcomes in mind, always starting from where your child is right now.
The National Quality Framework (NQF)
The NQF is the national system for regulating, assessing, and improving early childhood education and care services across Australia. It covers seven quality areas including health and safety, physical environment, staffing arrangements, and partnerships with families.
Our Five Philosophy Pillars
Play-Based Learning
Children learn best through meaningful play experiences, including nature-based play, guided by educators who support and extend their thinking.
Child-Led Exploration
Every child's curiosity drives their learning. Our educators follow their lead.
Building Life Skills
Children develop confidence, independence, and critical thinking through everyday decision-making and age-appropriate risk.
Inclusion and Belonging
Every child's background, culture, and individual needs are respected, celebrated, and supported.
Family and Community
We work alongside families, not separately from them. Our open-door policy is genuine.
Learning Through Play and Nature Children learn best through play. Through meaningful play experiences, including nature-based play and active outdoor exploration, our educators support, guide, and extend each child's curiosity, creativity, and love of learning. Every experience is designed to spark wonder and build a genuine, lasting connection to the world around them.
Building Capable, Confident Children We support children to develop essential life skills through decision-making, critical thinking, and age-appropriate risk assessment. When children are trusted to try, they grow in independence and self-belief. Their voices are heard and valued here, because confidence built early carries children forward through everything that comes next.
Inclusion, Belonging, and Cultural Pride Every child's cultural identity, individual needs, and background are respected, valued, and celebrated at Treehouse. Children with additional needs are supported through flexible, responsive programming in partnership with families and relevant professionals. No child is an afterthought here, because true inclusion means every child feels they genuinely belong.
Family, Community, and Partnership Strong relationships with families and the wider community are at the heart of everything we do. Our open-door policy is genuine: we work alongside you, not separately from you, sharing updates, milestones, and honest conversations every step of the way. Your child thrives when the people who love them are connected.
Wellbeing, Sustainability, and Healthy Habits Healthy eating, physical activity, and emotional wellbeing are woven into every day at Treehouse. Sustainability is too: children learn to care for their environment through everyday practices that build lasting respect for the world around them. Our educators are supported and valued, because a happy, invested team means a happy, thriving centre.
How does Treehouse approach quality and transparency?
We believe every family deserves honesty. So here is ours.
Six Quality Areas: Meeting NQS
Our most recent ACECQA assessment in September 2025 confirmed that Treehouse meets the National Quality Standard in six of the seven quality areas, covering health and safety, physical environment, staffing arrangements, relationships with children, partnerships with families, and leadership and governance. This result reflects the commitment and care our educators bring to their work every single day.
Actively Improving Our Educational Program
Quality Area 1 (Educational Program and Practice) is currently rated Working Towards NQS. We have access to an independent early childhood consultant on an as-needed basis, and we are actively participating in the ACECQA-affiliated Quality Uplift Program to strengthen our practice and improve our rating. Our goal is clear: Meeting NQS across all seven quality areas.
Open-Door Policy
You are welcome in our centre at any time during operating hours. If you have a question about how we operate, what we are working on, or how your child is progressing, ask us directly. We prefer those conversations happen with us, not about us, because honest communication is the foundation of every strong family partnership.
Daily Transparency via Xplor
Every day your family receives photos, videos, and observations through the Xplor Home app. You see exactly what your child has been doing, who they played with, what they ate, and what their educators noticed throughout the day. That is what real transparency looks like, and it is something every Treehouse family experiences from day one.
Two Large Playgrounds
Resourced, shaded, and secured. Three sandpits. Nature-integrated design that gives children genuine outdoor-first learning every single day.
Six Air-Conditioned Rooms
Each room is designed for a specific age group, from 6 weeks through to school age. Indoor-outdoor flow gives children the freedom to choose their environment.
Qualified and Invested Educators
Our team holds qualifications recognised by the Department of Education and is supported through ongoing professional development, keeping knowledge current with the latest early childhood requirements.