Our Story:
Encouraging Development Through Play

Pied Piper Toy Library (PPTL) is an Ashburton-based, not-for-profit incorporated association (ABN 71093426014) dedicated to enriching the lives of children in our community. We are a member-run organisation governed by a Committee and supported by a dedicated team of coordinators and volunteers.

Our Mission

Pied Piper Toy Library is dedicated to inspiring the young minds of our future, connecting parents with their children through play, and reducing excessive toy consumption.

We achieve this by providing:

  • A Diverse Toy Collection: We offer a wide variety of high-quality toys, including dollhouses, bikes and play kitchens, available for members to borrow.

  • Family and Community Support: We aim to strengthen family togetherness by offering accessible memberships and advice on appropriate play materials for different age groups.

  • A Safe Environment: PPTL has a zero-tolerance policy for child abuse and is committed to being a safe, happy, and empowering space for all children.

News

Check out our newsletter archive.

Find out what we’ve achieved this year in our latest Annual President’s Report.

Our History

1977: The Alamein Community Project Committee initiates plans to establish a toy library for local low-income families.

1979: Thanks to a $30,000 donation from the Camberwell Rotary for their 75th Anniversary, plans were made for a toy library to be an extention to the Craig Community Centre. Support is also provided by the Housing Commission of Victoria, Camberwell City Council and Family & Community Support Services.

1980: PPTL begins its first borrowing session via a mobile toy library on September 9th with 150 toys and 38 member families.

1981: The PPTL building is opened on August 9th by the Mayor of Camberwell, Counsellor Peter Gamble.

1990–1999: A period of growth, including the appointment of a paid co-ordinator (1991), facility storage extensions (1994), Incorporation (1995) and the establishment of the PPTL Constitution (1999).

2000–2009: Ongoing improvements, including the computerisation of the library (2003), the launch of the website (2008), the introduction of EFTPOS facilities (2009).

2010: Celebration of the 30th toy library anniversary, by which time the collection had grown to 2,000 toys serving 190 families.

2014: The toy library moved from its long-term location at the Craig Family Centre to a new facility on Lexia Street in Ashburton. This transition was marked by a Grand Opening Party on July 26, 2014.

2019: The library transitioned to the new online SErious Toy Library Software (SETLS).