Corio Toy Library wins national award in first full year of operation
A toy library in Corio has taken home two national awards, with a third volunteer named as a finalist, just one year after opening.
Korayn Birralee Toy Well Toy Library, based at Korayn Birralee Family Centre, won the Volunteer-Led Excellence Award at the 2026 National Toy Well Awards on 8 May. The Library is a partnership between Toy Well and Our Place Northern Bay, run by six volunteers across three days a week.
Local volunteer Kylie won the individual Play Champion Award. A second volunteer, Alana – who recently completed Playgroup Victoria’s PEEP training – was named a national finalist in the Consistent Champion Award.
Our Place Northern Bay Partnership Manager, Rebecca Hickey, said the award reflects what the team has built in a short time.
“The volunteer team has created a welcoming and inclusive space where families feel comfortable to connect, learn and return. Their support and advice on play and toy use at home has made the Toy Library a valued community resource. This National Award is a wonderful recognition of the team’s commitment and dedication to supporting children and families”
Rebecca Hickey, Our Place Morwell Partnership Manager
The awards coincide with the release of Our Place’s new research paper, Towards Continuity of Learning: Influencing Home Learning, which examines how services can help strengthen children’s learning at home.
Research consistently shows that what happens in the home in the early years, such conversations, reading and play, is one of the strongest predictors of how children will do at school, and beyond.
Corio and Norlane are among Victoria’s most disadvantaged communities, with children facing some of the state’s highest rates of developmental vulnerability before starting school.
Beyond lending toys, Toy Library volunteers run ‘Come and Play’ mornings, model play with families, and connect them to other support services on site. An annual Toy Well survey found 93% of members had changed their approach to home learning since using the Toy Library.
Award winner Kylie says she was compelled to volunteer to give back to the community that has helped her and her family so much.
“Seeing the joy on kids’ faces when they find something new – it’s like Christmas to them, and then helping families choose educational toys to use at home is so rewarding because you know you are helping to make a difference in their child’s growth and learning.”
Kylie, Toy Library Volunteer
Towards Continuity of Learning: Influencing Home Learning is available to download at ourplace.org.au/publications.
This story recently appeared in the Geelong Independent – National recognition for local toy library.
Photo source: The Geelong Independent (Ivan Kemp)