11 km from Melbourne CBD in the City of Bayside. 909 children under five.
More about Brighton →
Brighton is an affluent bayside suburb located approximately 11 kilometres south-east of Melbourne's CBD in the City of Bayside local government area. Known for its iconic bathing boxes, Church Street retail strip, prestigious schools, and high family density. The three long day care centres ranked here for 2026 are Hunt Community Child Care Centre, Bambini Wilson and The Hive Brighton, ordered by NQS rating and its date, then program, fees and practical fit, with nothing paid by any of them. All three are CCS approved.
Postcode 3186City of Bayside✓ Verified 22 October 2026
How we chose: we weigh five things together: NQS rating and how recently it was issued, parent reviews, program and environment, fees and inclusions, and practical fit including hours and Free Kinder access. We do not accept payment from any centre to appear on this list, and we do not rank by who owns a centre. Read how we rank.What an Exceeding NQS rating actually means →
No.1 PICK
Hunt Community Child Care Centre
103 Cochrane St, Brighton VIC 3186
Exceeding NQS · August 2026★ Google 5.0/5 · 6 reviews
Google reviews, captured 22 October 2026
All 7 quality areas: Exceeding
Regulatory detail and operational conditions
Exceeding NQS issued August 2026, in all seven quality areas; previously Exceeding (December 2022).
Regulatory visit July 2026: 0 enforcement actions
Daily fee
$152.00
Hours
Monday to Friday, 7:45am to 6:00pm
CCS approved
Yes
Capacity
47 children
Hunt Community Child Care Centre at 103 Cochrane Street holds an Exceeding NQS rating issued August 2026, the highest rating available through standard assessment (Excellent is a separate ACECQA designation awarded on application), with all seven quality areas rated Exceeding. Its previous rating, December 2022, was also Exceeding. The centre was last visited by the regulatory authority in July 2026. There are no current conditions on approval and zero enforcement actions in the past two years.
Hunt Community Child Care Centre is a community non-profit. The centre has operated at 103 Cochrane Street since at least 2012. With 47 approved places, its small scale supports a high ratio of individual attention for each child. The non-profit governance model and strong NQS performance across program, staffing, and relationships quality areas suit families prioritising quality and community values over size or branding.
At $152.00 per day at every age, Hunt charges less than either of the other two ranked centres. Starting Blocks confirms 2 inclusions: education programs and excursions/incursions. Confirm directly with the centre what else may be included in the daily fee. Hours are 7:45am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday.
What parents say
“A very well run, down to earth kinder and childcare centre with lots of outdoor space. My kids have loved there time at this centre, have made special bonds with the experienced and qualified educators and I would highly recommend the centre.”Mr & Mrs Hondromatidis
“A lovely community run childcare and kindergarten. The staff are warm and friendly and do an amazing job looking after the children. The funded kindergarten program is run expertly by several fully qualified teachers with supporting staff. The outside play spaces are huge and well loved by the children!”Karen
Our take
Hunt Community Child Care Centre ranks first on an Exceeding National Quality Standard rating issued in August 2026, with all seven quality areas rated Exceeding. No other centre in postcode 3186 holds Exceeding, so criterion 1 settles first place before program, fees or fit come into it. Its $152.00 day rate also undercuts both other ranked centres. No current conditions on approval, zero enforcement actions, and the regulator last called in July 2026.
Best for: Families who want a small community-run centre rated Exceeding in every quality area, at a lower daily fee than the other two ranked centres.
Meeting NQS · July 2025★ Google 3.7/5 · 19 reviews
Google reviews, captured 22 October 2026
All 7 quality areas: Meeting
Regulatory detail and operational conditions
Meeting NQS issued July 2025, all seven quality areas Meeting; previously Meeting (August 2022). Same operator since February 2018.
Regulatory visit June 2026: No conditions on the service approval and no enforcement actions in the preceding two years. Source: Starting Blocks service record, retrieved 22 October 2026; approved places from the ACECQA national register.
Daily fee
$209.00
Hours
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:00pm
Ages
From 3 months
CCS approved
Yes
Capacity
121 children
Bambini Wilson sits at 73-75 Wilson Street and is approved for 121 places, open 7:30am to 6:00pm on weekdays. Its site details ten rooms by age, an art studio and an in-house chef, and says children start from three months. The same operator has run it since February 2018.
Both the July 2025 and August 2022 assessments came back Meeting in every area. The regulator's June 2026 visit found nothing that led to enforcement action in the past two years, and there are no conditions on the approval. Permanent places were listed for all five weekdays of the week beginning 19 October 2026.
Fees are $209.00 a day to 35 months and $198.00 from 36 months, with seven inclusions on the register, which shows the younger rate up from $199.00 in September 2026. Its centre page does not mention a kindergarten program, so ask the centre about funded kinder hours.
Our take
Bambini Wilson is second because of a three-way loop that the published tie-break settles. Its July 2025 rating is under 12 months from both Goodstart Brighton (April 2026) and The Hive (March 2025). It beats Goodstart on capacity, 121 places against 60. The Hive beats it on capacity, 171 against 121, and Goodstart beats The Hive because the April 2026 rating is more than a year newer than March 2025. When the order goes round in a circle like this, the newest rating breaks it, and July 2025 is newer than March 2025. Its Google figure, 3.7 from 19, is the weakest among the ranked centres, though reviews did not decide its place.
Best for: Families wanting a large Wilson Street centre that takes babies from three months, with permanent vacancies Monday to Friday.
Meeting NQS · March 2025★ Google 4.7/5 · 36 reviews
Google reviews, captured 22 October 2026
All 7 quality areas: Meeting
Regulatory detail and operational conditions
Meeting NQS issued March 2025, all seven quality areas Meeting; previously Meeting (May 2021). Both ratings were issued before the current operator took over on 25 August 2025, when the service traded as The Learning Sanctuary Brighton.
Regulatory visit July 2026: Conditions on the service approval (see below). No enforcement actions in the preceding two years. Source: Starting Blocks service record and conditions, retrieved 22 October 2026; approved places and transfer date from the ACECQA national register.
Daily fee
$199.50
Hours
Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 6:30pm
CCS approved
Yes
Capacity
171 children
The Hive Brighton on Dendy Street is approved for 171 places, the most of any long day care service in postcode 3186, and opens 7:00am to 6:30pm on weekdays. It traded as The Learning Sanctuary Brighton until 25 August 2025, when its present operator took over the approval.
Both of its ratings, Meeting in March 2025 and Meeting in May 2021, were issued under the previous operator, so neither assesses the service as it is run now. Two conditions sit on the approval: that objects are not placed where a child could climb over barriers or fences, and that outdoor play equipment is maintained and placed to meet the Australian Playground Standard (AS 4685:2014), with attention to falling space, impact areas and free space; and that natural elements and features are incorporated and maintained in outdoor spaces. Its July 2026 regulatory visit led to no enforcement actions.
The fee is $199.50 a day at every age, and the register counts nine inclusions. Its Brighton page is titled childcare and kindergarten, but the page text we could read did not state an age range or describe the kinder program, so confirm both with the centre. It listed casual and permanent vacancies for each weekday when checked in late October 2026.
Our take
The Hive takes third place from the same loop that puts Bambini Wilson second. Its 171 places beat Bambini Wilson's 121, but Goodstart Brighton's April 2026 rating is more than a year newer than The Hive's March 2025, and Goodstart in turn loses to Bambini Wilson on capacity. With the three going round in a circle, the newest rating breaks it, and The Hive's is the oldest of the three. It wins its other pairings outright: against Bambini Asling on a lower fee with more inclusions and more places, and against Brighton Beach because its rating is more than a year newer. Weigh two things before enrolling: the March 2025 rating was issued before the takeover, and there are conditions on the approval.
Best for: Families after the longest day and the most places in the suburb, at one rate for every age with nine listed inclusions, who are comfortable that its ratings came before the current operator.
The column shows each centre's rate for a child younger than three, read from Starting Blocks on 22 October 2026. Hunt and The Hive charge one rate at every age; Bambini Wilson drops to $198.00 from 36 months. Average across these three centres: $186.83/day before CCS below age three, $183.17 from 36 months. All three centres are CCS approved. Confirm directly with each centre.
Childcare fees vary by age group. The rates shown may reflect different age bands at different centres, so confirm the rate for your child's age directly with each centre.
Brighton is an affluent bayside suburb in Melbourne's south-east, approximately 11 kilometres from the CBD within the City of Bayside. Known for its iconic bathing boxes, Church Street retail strip, and proximity to well-regarded schools, Brighton has an affluent resident population. The suburb attracts established families, professionals, and downsizers, with a strong emphasis on quality of life and access to premium services.
Parents in Brighton typically prioritise NQS ratings, educator qualifications, low child-to-staff ratios, and comprehensive inclusions when choosing childcare. The suburb's relatively small number of long day care centres, six in postcode 3186, means waitlists are common, particularly at the higher-rated services.
All long day care centres in Brighton 3186 were assessed for this guide against NQS ratings from ACECQA via Starting Blocks, verified fees, and parent reviews from independent platforms. Three centres were selected as the top-ranked options. Hampton and Brighton East are ranked too, each with a top three.
Looking wider? Our Bayside & Inner South guide lists every suburb we rank across the area, with each one's top centres.
Brighton is an affluent bayside suburb in Melbourne's south-east, sitting in the City of Bayside local government area approximately 11 km from the CBD. Six long day care centres are named on this page.
NQS ratings
Hunt Community Child Care Centre at 103 Cochrane Street holds Exceeding NQS issued August 2026, with all 7 quality areas rated Exceeding NQS. Exceeding is the highest rating available through standard assessment; Excellent is a separate designation awarded only by ACECQA on application and is held by fewer than 1% of services nationally. The other five long day care services in 3186 are rated Meeting.
Goodstart Brighton
Goodstart Early Learning Brighton - Cochrane Street at 43-45 Cochrane Street held Exceeding NQS from September 2016, dropped to Meeting in September 2022, and was rated Meeting again in April 2026.
The Hive Brighton: provider and name change
The service at 46 Dendy Street traded as The Learning Sanctuary Brighton until 25 August 2025, when the current operator took over the approval and renamed it The Hive Brighton. Both NQS ratings on Starting Blocks were issued before that change. The service has conditions on its approval. Verify current status on Starting Blocks (startingblocks.gov.au) before enrolling.
Fees
Hunt charges $152.00 a day at every age, The Hive $199.50 at every age, and Bambini Wilson $209.00 to 35 months and $198.00 from 36 months. All three ranked centres are CCS approved, and eligible families can receive up to 90% subsidy.
Other services in Brighton worth knowing about
Goodstart Early Learning Brighton - Cochrane Street
43-45 Cochrane St, Brighton VIC 3186. Meeting NQS (April 2026), previous Meeting (September 2022); it held Exceeding from September 2016 before the 2022 assessment. Last regulatory visit February 2026, no conditions, no enforcement actions. $203.21 a day up to 35 months and $199.84 from 36 months, five inclusions listed (Starting Blocks, 22 October 2026). Mon-Fri 7:00am to 6:30pm. 60 approved places. 4.8 on Google from 23 reviews. Phone 03 9596 3999. It sits in a loop with the two centres ranked second and third: its April 2026 rating is more than a year newer than The Hive's, but Bambini Wilson beats it on capacity (121 places against 60) with fees level. Under the published tie-break the newest rating breaks the loop between the two centres level on wins, and Goodstart, with one fewer win, places behind both.
Bambini Early Learning Centre
13-15 Asling St, Brighton VIC 3186. Meeting NQS (April 2025), previous Meeting (June 2021); operator since May 2018. Last regulatory visit March 2026, no conditions, no enforcement actions. $219.00 a day at every age, seven inclusions listed (Starting Blocks, 22 October 2026). Mon-Fri 7:30am to 6:00pm. 75 approved places. 5.0 on Google from 30 reviews. Phone 03 9596 0355. Ranked second on the previous version of this page. Its rating ties with both centres now ranked second and third, and it loses to each on fees and capacity: Bambini Wilson charges less in every age band with the same seven inclusions and has 121 places, and The Hive charges $199.50 with nine inclusions and has 171 places.
Brighton Beach Early Learning Centre
21 New Street, Brighton VIC 3186. Meeting NQS (February 2024), with Staffing arrangements rated Exceeding; previous Meeting (February 2019), issued before the current operator took over in July 2022. Last regulatory visit April 2026, no conditions, no enforcement actions. $204.00 a day up to 35 months and $192.00 from 36 months (Starting Blocks, 22 October 2026). Mon-Fri 7:30am to 6:00pm. 64 approved places. Phone 03 9521 8050. Ranked third on the previous version of this page. Its February 2024 rating is more than a year older than those of Bambini Wilson (July 2025) and The Hive (March 2025), which decides both pairings on criterion 1.
Brighton Early Learning Centre
247 New Street, Brighton VIC 3186. Meeting NQS (June 2023), previous Meeting NQS (May 2018). All 7 quality areas Meeting NQS. Last regulatory visit: May 2025. Zero conditions. Zero enforcement actions. Fee: $204.00/day up to 35 months, $192.00 from 36 months (Starting Blocks, 22 October 2026; confirm inclusions directly). Hours: Mon-Fri 7:00am-6:00pm. 64 approved places. Operated by Enlighten Learning since July 2022, so the May 2018 rating was issued under the previous operator. A separate service from Brighton Beach Early Learning Centre at 21 New Street, with a different service approval number and assessment history. Phone: 03 9592 1373. Email: mail@brightonelc.com.au.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best childcare centre in Brighton VIC 3186?
On the published criteria, Hunt Community Child Care Centre at 103 Cochrane Street ranks first. It holds an Exceeding National Quality Standard rating issued in August 2026, in all seven quality areas, and no other ranked centre here holds Exceeding. Bambini Wilson ranks second and The Hive Brighton third.
How much does childcare cost in Brighton VIC?
As listed on Starting Blocks on 22 October 2026: Hunt Community Child Care Centre charges $152.00 a day at every age. The Hive Brighton charges $199.50 at every age. Bambini Wilson charges $209.00 up to 35 months and $198.00 from 36 months. All three centres are CCS approved, and eligible families can receive up to 90% subsidy.
Are there any Exceeding NQS childcare centres in Brighton?
Yes. Hunt Community Child Care Centre at 103 Cochrane Street is currently rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard, with that rating issued in August 2026 (NQS source: Starting Blocks, ACECQA).
What childcare centres in Brighton have vacancies?
In the week of 19 October 2026, Starting Blocks showed permanent places on every weekday at Bambini Wilson and at The Hive Brighton, which also showed casual places. Hunt Community Child Care Centre did not list vacancies, so contact it directly. Availability changes quickly; always confirm with the centre.
What is the postcode for Brighton childcare?
The postcode for Brighton, Victoria is 3186. Brighton East is a separate suburb with postcode 3187 and is not covered on this page. All three ranked long day care centres in this guide are located within postcode 3186.
Has any Brighton childcare centre been downgraded?
Yes. Goodstart Early Learning Brighton - Cochrane Street at 43-45 Cochrane Street held Exceeding NQS from September 2016 but was rated Meeting in September 2022, and again in April 2026.
What happened with The Learning Sanctuary Brighton?
The Learning Sanctuary Brighton at 46 Dendy Street changed name and operator on 25 August 2025 and now trades as The Hive Brighton. Both of its NQS ratings, March 2025 and May 2021, were issued before that change. The service has conditions on its approval. It is ranked third on this page, and those two points are set out in its listing.
Data sources: Starting Blocks (NQS ratings, fees, inclusions, contact details), ACECQA (Approved places, conditions, provider history), Google Reviews (Ratings). Information on this page was last verified 22 October 2026. top3elc.com.au does not receive referral fees.