Every centre was assessed against five criteria: NQS rating independently assessed by the Victorian regulatory authority, fee transparency verified against the Starting Blocks database, parent satisfaction drawn from Google Reviews, program quality including curriculum approach and educator qualifications, and practical value including hours, inclusions and Free Kinder access.
We do not accept payment from any centre to appear on this list. Our rankings are independent.
Among the ranked centres, One Early Education is the cheapest at $152.00 a day, with Kool Kidz at $165.00 and Green Leaves at $180.50; across Mickleham's long day care centres fees sit around $167 a day before subsidy, on the higher side for the city's fringe. Every centre listed here is CCS approved; confirm each centre's current fee directly before enrolling.
Green Leaves Early Learning Merrifield is a brand-new, custom-designed centre on Cityside Drive in the Merrifield estate, part of the national Green Leaves group. Licensed for 128 places, it takes children from six weeks to six years across nursery, toddler, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten rooms and is open from 6:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays. It was rated Meeting National Quality Standard in January 2026, the most recent assessment of the three ranked centres, and it holds the highest parent-review score in the suburb.
The centre describes its learning journeys as customised to each child, with a curriculum spanning literacy, numeracy and science alongside interactive whiteboard technology. Food is a feature: a dedicated chef's kitchen and a culinary lesson area sit at the heart of the building, and seasonal meals are prepared on site each day. The outdoor area includes a bike track, a cubbyhouse and edible gardens, and the centre leans on eco-conscious, sustainable materials throughout, with digital check-in for families.
The daily fee of $180.50, the highest of the three ranked centres, is all-inclusive, covering nappies, linen, hats, meals and snacks, plus activities such as yoga and music classes and visiting shows and excursions. Green Leaves holds a 4.8 average across its Google reviews, the highest score in the suburb. As a service on the state Category 4 bushfire-risk list, it closes on any day the government declares a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating for the area, a standard operating protocol for centres on this part of Melbourne's fringe rather than a mark against the centre.
“Green Leaves Merrifield has been a true blessing for my 3 year old son. In other centres, it's taken him months to settle in and make connections. Green Leaves, it has only taken 1.5 weeks. The staff have been amazing, so helpful and caring. The food cooked my their chef daily has been amazing. He comes home asking me to cook the same thing. The directors are so friendly, happy to have a chat about any concerns I have.”
“Amazing educators who go above and beyond in providing quality care.. My son has become more independent and developed immense curiosity in learning new things. Love the care and support that the children get in the centre.”
“We are so grateful for the sense of community and belonging that my daughter experiences at Green Leaves Early Learning Centre. It is a wonderful environment for children to learn, grow, and thrive. The educators, management and admin staff are truly dedicated and passionate and we really appreciate their open communication and positive impact they have on my daughter's development.”
Green Leaves Merrifield is our first pick in Mickleham on the strength of a very recent, strong assessment and a well-rounded offer. Its January 2026 Meeting rating is the freshest of the three, its 4.8 review average is the highest, and the all-inclusive fee folds in chef-prepared meals, nappies, linen and a busy program of yoga, music and excursions in a brand-new, purpose-built centre. As a bushfire-fringe service it closes on Catastrophic Fire Danger days, a standard area protocol. As with any centre, and a newer one in particular, we would tour in person and ask plenty of questions about supervision and daily routines on the day, but on its rating, reviews and inclusions it is the strongest all-round option in the suburb.
Kool Kidz Merrifield is a family-owned, independently operated centre on Errol Boulevard, opened in 2016 and licensed for 168 places, the largest of the three ranked centres. The approved provider, who holds a Bachelor of Education and has years of experience as a teacher and education leader, runs the service with what the centre describes as higher-than-required educator-to-child ratios. It takes children from six weeks to six years and is open from 6:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays, and it was rated Meeting National Quality Standard in April 2024.
Learning follows the centre's own play-based Kool Beginnings Curriculum, built on the Early Years Learning Framework, with separate infant, toddler and kindergarten rooms and a multi-purpose communal space the centre calls the E.A.R.T.H Room. Funded three and four-year-old kindergarten runs on site, with the four-year-old program offering up to 15 hours a week. A full-time cook prepares five nutritious meals a day, and the purpose-built site has wrap-around, sun-safe outdoor play areas and separate sleeping rooms.
The daily fee is $165.00. Kool Kidz holds a 4.2 average across its Google reviews, on the largest review base of the three ranked centres. The centre holds two design-standard conditions on its approval, requiring natural elements within its outdoor spaces and that upper-floor play equipment sit back from the boundary; these are structural conditions set at approval, not the result of any incident or enforcement action. For families who want the largest centre in the suburb, a single independent operator and funded kindergarten, it is a strong option.
“We've had such a great experience at Kool Kidz Merryfield! Sarah and Liana have always been so supportive and understanding — they really care about the kids and the families. The educators are all amazing, so kind and patient, and you can tell they love what they do. My son has come such a long way since starting here — he's more confident, happy, and always excited to go in the mornings. It honestly feels like one big family, and I'm so grateful for all the love and effort they put into everything. Highly recommend!”
“We are incredibly grateful for the care and professionalism shown by Kool Kidz Merrifield center, especially when it comes to managing food allergies. My son has food allergies, and the staff went above and beyond to ensure his meals were handled safely with absolutely no cross-contamination.”
“Kool kidz Merrifield was a great experience for my daughter. She started there before she even started walking. Educators were really friendly, patient and helpful with her. The 4 yrs of her being there learned a lot of knowledge, gained a lot of friends, became sociable and behaved well.”
Kool Kidz is the independent pick in Mickleham, and the largest centre in the suburb at 168 places. It is family-owned rather than part of a chain, runs funded three and four-year-old kindergarten with a full-time cook and higher-than-required ratios, and sits in the middle of the three on fee at $165. Its review base is the deepest of the three but its 4.2 average is a touch below the others, and its last assessment was April 2024, so it is due for reassessment. It also carries two standard design conditions on its approval, which are structural rather than the result of any incident. For families who value an owner-run centre with scale and a strong kindergarten program, it is well worth a tour.
One Early Education Mickleham opened on Brossard Road in May 2024 and belongs to the One Early Education network, a group with centres across Melbourne's northern and western growth corridors. Licensed for 118 places, it takes children from six weeks to six years and is open from 6:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays across six rooms. The building leans on a Scandinavian-inspired design, with naturally lit indoor spaces and a large outdoor area. It holds a Meeting NQS rating from October 2025 and carries no conditions on its approval.
The curriculum is based on the Early Years Learning Framework and the network's Brain Development Program, supported by daily enrichment in sport, mindfulness, the arts and music. The outdoor play space is a clear feature, with climbing forts, a bamboo forest, a vegetable garden, a climbing wall, a wobble bridge, stepping stones, a fireman's pole and a water pump. A resident nutritionist plans the meals prepared on site, and a Storypark app keeps families across each child's day.
Hats, nappies, wipes and meals are included in the daily fee of $152.00, the lowest of the three ranked centres. One Early holds a 5.0 average across its Google reviews, the highest score of the three, though on the smallest review base, reflecting a centre that only opened in 2024. For families who want a recently built centre with a nature-rich outdoor program and the lowest fee in the ranked set, it is worth a close look.
“Absolutely fantastic service. Teachers and staff are great!”
One Early rounds out the Mickleham top three as the newest and cheapest of the ranked centres. Opened in 2024, it pairs a recent Meeting rating from October 2025 with a Scandinavian-inspired build, a genuinely impressive outdoor play space and a resident nutritionist planning the meals, all at $152 a day, the lowest in the ranked set. Its Google reviews are excellent at 5.0 but thin, simply because the centre is new, so there is less of a track record to lean on than at the other two. For families drawn to a fresh build with a strong outdoor program and a lower fee, and who are comfortable with a shorter review history, it is a strong choice.
Mickleham is one of the sharpest edges of Melbourne's northern growth front. Sitting in the City of Hume about 30 kilometres from the CBD, it has gone from farmland to a string of fast-filling estates, Cloverton and Merrifield chief among them, in barely a decade. The 2021 Census recorded an exceptionally high share of children under five here, and the estates that drove that have kept growing, so demand for early learning places runs well ahead of most established suburbs.
Because Mickleham shares postcode 3064 with Craigieburn, Roxburgh Park, Kalkallo and Donnybrook, online directories pool centres from all of them under one heading, so the first job was confirming each centre's street address actually sits in Mickleham. The market here is young: several centres opened only in the last few years, which means a current assessment date and a real, recent set of parent reviews matter more than a familiar name. Many of these newer, leafier-fringe centres also sit on the state bushfire-risk register, a routine feature of this part of Melbourne.
For this guide we checked every Mickleham long day care centre against its Starting Blocks rating and date, its verified fee, the nature of any condition on its approval, and its parent reviews on Google. Three stood out: Green Leaves Merrifield for its fresh rating and review profile, Kool Kidz Merrifield as the suburb's largest independent, and One Early Education for its new build and low fee. Confirm fees and vacancies directly, because in a growth corridor both change quickly.
Mickleham sits on Melbourne's northern growth front in the City of Hume, about 30 kilometres from the CBD, with the Cloverton and Merrifield estates driving rapid family growth. Its postcode, 3064, is shared with Craigieburn, Roxburgh Park, Kalkallo and Donnybrook, so confirm a centre's street address when you compare options. Fees sit on the higher side, averaging around $167 a day before subsidy.
All three ranked centres can claim the Child Care Subsidy on your behalf. It is income-tested and also depends on your activity hours and the type of care, and for most families it lowers the daily fee by up to 90 per cent. Even at Green Leaves' $180.50 rate, the after-subsidy cost is often far less for eligible families.
Funded kindergarten for three and four-year-olds runs across Victoria, often inside long day care. Kool Kidz Merrifield advertises funded three and four-year-old kinder on site. Green Leaves and One Early both run kindergarten-aged rooms but do not detail funded-kinder arrangements publicly, so confirm these with the centre directly.
Two of the three ranked centres carry standard, categorical conditions on their approval, neither stemming from any incident. Green Leaves is on the Department of Education's Category 4 bushfire-risk list and closes on declared Catastrophic Fire Danger days. Kool Kidz holds two design-standard conditions on outdoor elements and upper-floor equipment setbacks. One Early Education carries no conditions.
In a fast-growing corridor like Mickleham, demand outpaces supply, and the better-rated rooms (nursery places especially) fill quickly. Contact your preferred centre early and ask to join a waitlist well before your intended start date.
A large centre on Brookfield Boulevard rated Meeting NQS with strong parent reviews. It operated previously as Nino Early Learning Adventures under the same service approval before rebranding to Kids Academy, so its earlier rating history sits under the prior name; assess it on its current operation.
A 187-place, council-run long day care centre on St Georges Boulevard rated Meeting NQS, with shorter 8am to 5pm hours and no published online review base. A community option worth contacting directly.
A new centre in the Botanical Village estate, not yet open at the time of writing. Worth monitoring once it opens and receives a first rating.
Information on this page was last verified: June 2026
top3elc.com.au is an independent guide to the best childcare centres in every suburb across Victoria. We do not accept payment or sponsorship from any centre to appear in our rankings. All NQS ratings are sourced from ACECQA via the Starting Blocks government database. Fees are verified at time of publication. Always confirm directly with the centre. Last updated: February 2026.
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