26/07/2026
This week, while cleaning out an old shed, we stumbled across one of Joste-Lin's original signs.
Dust covered its surface. The paint had faded with time. Yet as we gently brushed it clean, it felt as though it had been patiently waiting to tell its story.
We traced our fingers over the worn letters and couldn't help but wonder about the family who proudly placed it at the entrance all those years ago. We imagined the excitement they must have felt as they opened the gates for the very first time, hoping children would laugh here, families would feel welcome here, and memories would be made here.
They could never have known that, more than 30 years later, their little dream would still be growing.
Joste-Lin first opened its gates over 3 decades ago, lovingly created by a local family with a vision of giving children a place where they could belong.
Many years later, that dream wasn't lost, it was lovingly passed into the hands of another local family. Ours.
For the past 17 years, it has been our privilege to continue caring for this very special place, while honouring everything that made it so loved from the very beginning.
Over the years, some things have changed. Today we now welcome children from 6 weeks to 6 years, our doors are open from 7:00am until 6:30pm, our Before and After School Care now supports families from Campbellfield Public School and we're incredibly proud to be recognised as an Exceeding service.
But as we stood holding that old sign, one line quietly stopped us.
“Keen. Caring Staff."
We smiled.
Back then, those three words said everything.
Today, they feel almost too simple.
Our educators are still caring, always will be, but they're also researchers, mentors, advocates, innovators and lifelong learners. They nurture curiosity, inspire confidence, celebrate individuality and create environments where children don't just feel cared for... they feel seen, heard, valued and capable.
The words may have changed over the years.
The heart behind them never has.
Because when we look back over the years, it isn't the signs, the buildings or even the gorgeous 5 acres we live on, that tell the story of Joste-Lin.
It’s the children…
The tiny hands that reached for an educator's hand before finding the confidence to let go.
The children who discovered their first friendships, their first passions and the quiet belief that they were capable.
The paint covered masterpieces carried home with pride, the stories shared at pick up time, the cuddles offered when they were needed most.
The laughter that echoed. The wonder sparked by a butterfly, a puddle, a fallen leaf or a new discovery.
The children who grew up here... and years later returned, holding the hands of children of their own, ready to begin the story all over again.
These aren't just memories.
They are the living history of Joste-Lin.
Perhaps that's what this dusty old sign was waiting to remind us.
That while childhood has evolved, research has grown and the world around us has changed, one thing has remained beautifully constant.
Children have always been, and always will be, the heart of Joste-Lin. ❤️
