The University Preschool and Childcare Centre at the Australian National University, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, must have the best views of any childcare centre in Canberra, the sandpit overlooking the trees and water of Lake Burley Griffin's West Basin.
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It's just one aspect of the charm of the centre, opened in 1969 and celebrating that milestone on Friday with a gathering of former and current staff and students.
The 85-place community-based centre is a collection of new and old, the original buildings dating from the 1920s, used as war-time and later college accommodation.
It is now a whimsical site, with interest at every corner for the children, a centre that is the opposite of a concrete jungle.
The centre's assistant director Eileen Webster said it opened as a childcare centre for about 65 children in March, 1969.
The priority has always been for the children of staff and students of the ANU, but children from the broader community also attend.
"It was one of the first workplace childcare centres," Ms Webster said.
"It was at a time when women usually gave up their career to stay home and look after the children. But it was the '60s and change was on the way."
Ms Webster has been at the centre for an incredible 44 years and is a former ACT Educator of the Year.
"It is a special place to work, with a lovely feel about the centre," Ms Webster said.
"It's a lovely community to work in and I have been privileged to work in a variety of roles throughout the centre, including the preschool, toddlers' room, the nursery as well as a floater, working across the centre.
"We really love it and we hope we're here for another 50 years."
Ms Webster remembers the early days of the centre.
"The ANU gave us the buildings but all the preparation and work to turn it into an early learning centre came down to parent and staff working bees," she said.
Now some of the grandchildren of the original children have attended the centre. And past students have flourished.
"It's amazing the careers they've gone on to have," Ms Webster said.
Another long-time employee is Mirja Haavista who has been at the centre for 29 years, and is nominated this year in the upcoming ACT Education and Care Sector gala awards.
"The majority of her time has been in the nursery. She has a very special skill and love for the babies," Ms Webster said.
Ms Webster said the success of the centre was its volunteer, parent-based management committee and long-serving directors such as Josephine Hall, who was director for more than 20 years and Lynley Rees, who was director for 15 years.
"Josephine was an amazing women who really got the place up and running, opened up the buildings, opened up the rooms," Ms Webster said.
"She also had an amazing financial brain and established a really good financial model for the centre. She was very focused on the families and the children and the community.
"Josephine was also instrumental in working with the union to set up an award payment for the staff."
Ms Webster said Lynley Rees continued that good work.
The current director is Helen Chan, who has been at the centre for nine years, a former preschool teacher and an example of how the management committee wanted to create a career path for staff.
"I love the connected-ness with the families," Ms Chan said.
"Because the families are working at the ANU, they come here from all over the world. They sometimes come back to Canberra and see us and show us photos of their children and how they have all grown up and tell us about what they're doing.
"I think that connection is very special and I'm quite proud of it."
Ms Chan is certain about one thing about the centre: "It's a big family".
