Remote children are the latest to miss out in a nationwide childcare staff shortage.
On an outback Queensland cattle station, Kelsey Woods has just turned two, and her local childcare service in Aramac — the only one within about 100 kilometres of her home — has just been cut.
For more than 15 years, a travelling childcare service has offered one day a week of cheap childcare to families in the remote towns of Aramac, Muttaburra, Isisford, and Ilfracombe.
The program run by the Longreach Regional Council was cut this month after a failed search for a second qualified childcare worker.
"It's absolutely devastating," mum Alison Woods said.
"My child is two years old and she's really going to struggle because she's been to it and then you just have nothing. Nothing at all.
"Every time they take a service like this off us the town absolutely gets devastated because they know it's probably never going to come back."
When staffed with two qualified childcare workers, the unique bush childcare was able to care for up to 14 children a day.
There had been a waiting list for spots for several years of the unit's operation.
But the council said it had no choice but to end the service this year after it was unable to fill the childcare worker position that offered a salary of $62,000 and included accommodation.
"We just didn't have any bites," Longreach Regional Council deputy mayor Leonie Nunn said.
The service gave parents — many from isolated properties — the opportunity to work or take a break while their children could play and learn.
Tanya James from cattle station The Lake, located about 80 kilometres north-east of Aramac, spent most of the time her child was at childcare doing book work for her family's electrical business.
"On the other hand, there was also still that day for self-care, so go and get your hair done, something to feel accomplished and just me," Ms James said.
"It doesn't matter if you're using the service for self-care or work or in the house to do housework, I think it's all equally important for mental health."
In the small town of Isisford, about 120km south of Longreach, local supermarket owner Emily Anderson would unload deliveries while her three-year-old Charlie was at childcare.
"He loved it there," Ms Anderson said.
"It was very convenient for work; I'd have three different deliveries coming all day and it meant I was child-free at the shop because he would be there normally every other day with me.
"Even if it's just one day, it's still something else for them to go and do."
United Workers Union executive director of early education Helen Gibbons said almost every childcare centre in the country was struggling with staffing, and the problem was more severe in regional areas.
"We're hearing many stories of centres turning away enrolments, closing rooms, and limiting enrolments because they don't have the staff," Ms Gibbons said.
"We have to address the root of the problem, which is that early educators are badly paid and shouldn't be."
Speaking about Longreach's travelling childcare, Ms Gibbons said the council would have to put more money on the table in order to attract a qualified educator to the area.
"It's really important that parents and families in the area are able to access early education," she said.
"That's tough for the council but it's the only way that they are going to be able to support the parents in the area."
In Aramac, parents are hoping for a solution.
"Not just for us mums, but for future mums and dads who will need it because once it's taken away, that's it," Ms Woods said.
The Barcaldine Regional Council, which encompasses the towns of Aramac and Muttaburra, has been contacted for comment.
