‘Wrong location’: Parents speak out at first pick-up as Tacking Point preschool protest locked in

PARENTS and grandparents waiting at pick-up on the first day of the 2026 school year say opposition to the proposed Tacking Point Public School preschool has hardened, with every family spoken to raising concerns about playground loss, traffic congestion and impacts on local koala habitat.

Between 2.15pm and 3.45pm on Monday, News Of The Area spoke with 15 parents and grandparents waiting in cars or near the school’s front gate on Bangalay Drive as students were dismissed for the day.

All said they opposed the preschool being built on the existing school grounds.

It comes as a community demonstration opposing the new preschool is locked in for 7am-9am on 12 February, out the front of the school, with major construction activity on the site set to ramp up.
One of the protest organisers, Nicky Kingston-Davies, said strong attendance numbers would be key.

“We need over 100 people with their kids to make a statement,” she said.

On Monday at school pick-up, parent Cass, who was sitting in his car, said the project would worsen already difficult traffic conditions while removing valuable play space for students.

“It’s ridiculous what the government is doing with this,” he said.

“There’s not enough car parks as it is, let alone dozens more parents picking up at the preschool.

“They are taking a whole heap of valuable playground space for the kids.

“And look up there – there are two koalas I can see, a joey and its mumma.

“I just don’t understand why they are putting it here.

“It’s the wrong location for many reasons.”

Rebecca said most parents supported the idea of more preschool places, but not at the expense of existing students.

“I think the majority of parents are happy there’s a new preschool, but taking away much of a play area for children is far from ideal,” she said.

“And it’s already a nightmare to park here at pick-up time, as you can see.”

Riaan said his children were upset about losing access to part of their playground and felt overlooked in the decision-making process.

“My kids have been coming here since they started school, and they’re not happy because they are losing a chunk of their playground area,” he said.

“The Education Department should have been more respectful to the children.

“I’ll definitely be at the protest.

“My whole family don’t like what’s happening.”

Kate echoed concerns about a lack of consultation and said her family would be attending the demonstration.

“It’s just so disappointing to see what’s happening,” she said.

“There’s been no consultation with what the local families want.

“I’ll be coming to the protest, and my kids will be too.”

The parents’ comments follow a statement last week from local MP Robert Dwyer, who said he would not attend the protest due to a Parliamentary sitting week.

Dwyer said he supported the State Government’s rollout of 100 new preschools, including at Tacking Point, but added that local community consultation “could have been done better”.

He said he had met with concerned parents and residents on “numerous” occasions and had written twice to the Minister for Education but had been advised construction would proceed as planned.

Dwyer told another media outlet last week that all opportunities to halt the development had been “absolutely exhausted”.

Meanwhile, school parent Emma Schofield has warned Port Macquarie Hastings Council she will lodge a formal complaint with the NSW Ombudsman if outstanding compliance questions about the project are not addressed.

By Matt TAYLOR