Spokespeople from Warrnambool City Council (WCC), Moyne Shire Council and Corangamite Shire said they were aware of the demand and waiting lists at most of the council-run centres. Private operators spoke this month of unprecedented demand and long waiting lists across the region.

A Warrnambool City Council spokesperson said its waiting list was due to a shortage of qualified early childhood educators, an issue which also affects other centres in the region, particularly those in outlying rural areas.

He said there were no plans to increase its offering. "We currently have capacity within our centres and with increased workforce will be able to accommodate more families," he said.

The spokesman said WCC was working closely with local staff from the Department of Education's Early Childhood Improvement Branches which was "aware of the shortage and have met on several occasions to address the needs of the region".

The Standard reported this month that the region was facing a huge childcare shortage with families facing a six-to-12-month wait.

He said WCC staff were in a Municipal Association for Victoria workforce advisory group which provided advice to the state government about the sector's needs.

The WCC spokesman said the Victorian government recognised the need to attract and retain "dedicated, suitable and enthusiastic people" through a draft workforce strategy. "There is a strong investment which includes a $174.2 million workforce package to attract and retain staff aligned with statewide reforms to deliver 15 hours of kindergarten for all three-year-olds by 2029," he said.

Warrnambool's population, currently 34,750, is expected to grow to more than 46,200 in the next 15 years. He said WCC was reviewing its Community Service Infrastructure Plan in line with population data changes and future community needs.

Moyne Shire community and corporate services manager Kevin Leddin said it would look at opening a council-run childcare centre in Mortlake.

"As stated in the Moyne Early Years Plan 2020-2030, council has a long-term action to investigate the development of a children and family services hub in Mortlake that would incorporate kindergarten, maternal child health, immunisation and childcare services," Mr Leddin said.

Mr Leddin said council was seeing an increased demand for its three childcare centres in Port Fairy, Hawkesdale and Chatsworth.

Corangamite Shire community services manager Katie Hearn said the shire predominantly operated family daycare and said it had no immediate plans for new centres.

She said there were waiting lists for family day care in Cobden, Timboon and Terang and said there was a need in Camperdown for more family day-carers.

Private providers in Camperdown, Terang and Mortlake have also reported increased and previously unseen demand this year.

South West TAFE early childhood teacher Karensa Smith said there was a shortage of educators and it hoped to recruit more into the qualification. It is estimated nationally by 2024 there's going to be a need for a further 37,000 educators.

A spokesman for the Department of Education, Skills and Employment said all governments were working with the early childhood sector on a co-design of a new 10-year National Children's Education and Care Workforce Strategy to be finalised later this year.

"The National Skills Commission's five-year employment projections show that growth in the sector will continue to increase over the coming five years to November 2025, with employment growth projected to increase by around 10.2 per cent for educators and 17.2 per cent for early childhood teachers," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said projected employment growth for the early childhood sector remained above the national projected employment growth.

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