Peter Gavens's new childcare centre hasn't got a burgeoning toy box, colourful posters, carpet or walls.
It hasn't even got a planning permit yet.
But that has not stopped it from reaching capacity enrolments before it opens to the community.
Mr Gavens recently announced the opening of the new centre in Colac, about two hours south-west of Melbourne.
Within hours of the expression of interest going live on social media, he was inundated with more than 100 messages from parents and carers across the region.
As it stands, he has had more than enough interest to fill the centre to the brim.
And that is before he has even had a chance to open (or hang) the centre's doors.
"We've got people coming to us saying they'd like to get back to work but can't because of childcare," Mr Gavens said.
"We've got one case, a nurse, who can't get back to work for more than one day per week because she can't get any childcare."
Mr Gavens has received more than 130 enrolments before his centre opens, far exceeding the 30-or-so full-time spots it plans to cater for.
And he's not the only one drowning in enrolment forms.
Books closed until 2024
Cathy Thompson has been working in childcare for decades and is one of the directors of a neighbouring childcare centre in Colac.
The demand for a position at her centre is so high, that she's had to shut her books to new clients until 2024.
Ms Thompson says people are asking to be put on waitlists but says it isn't a solution.
"I've been here 27 years and it's rare that people get into our centre off a waitlist," she said.
"We're certainly getting a lot of our inquiries, but we've got nothing for them. And it's devastating. [It's] very hard to keep turning people down."
The Colac-Otway Shire acknowledges it has an issue on its hands when it comes to its youngest residents.
The shire's general manager of community and economy, Ian Seuren, said the council was trying to help grow the sector.
"One reason is workforce shortages in the early childhood education sector, which is hampering operators from growing their services," Mr Seuren said.
"To help in the short-term, we are running a recruitment campaign to grow our family daycare service.
"In the longer-term, we are working with higher levels of government and local partners to find further solutions."
Regions hit harder
The United Workers Union (UWU) thinks the solution is simple: Pay childcare staff more.
UWU early education director, Helen Gibbons, said a "mass exodus" of childcare workers following the pandemic has hamstrung a struggling sector further.
"We have shortages all across the country, but that's quite large in regional areas," Ms Gibbons said.
"People deserted the cities during the last two years of COVID, and that's driven up the population in regional areas and therefore driven up the need for early education.
"But there isn't a corresponding increase in the workers able to do the early education."
Mr Gavens has found a way around the staffing problem by forming the business with ex-childcare workers who can get back in the classroom.
But he knows not everyone is that fortunate.
"We just want to provide a service to the community," he said.
"We have a lot of other people involved in it who are shareholders who put money behind the project to say: 'We want to see more childcare in Colac and we'll help you out.'"
The new centre is scheduled to open in 2023.
