Known as “Di Di” or “Nanny” to generations of locals, Di Leech marks 30 years of caring for local children.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
For 30 years, the soundtrack of Di Leech’s home has been the rhythm of toddler laughter, clacking building blocks, and the pitter-patter of little feet racing across the floor.
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If you’ve lived in Moama in the past three decades, chances are Di has tied your or your children’s shoes, dried tears, shared a laugh, or helped them grow.
To locals, she isn't just a carer ― she’s “Di-Di” or “Nanny,” and she’s remained a constant thread through the lives of the more than 500 children who have passed through her doors.
The nickname was born 30 years ago when a child in her care couldn’t quite pronounce “Di.” The mispronunciation stuck, creating what families now know as Di-Di’s Family Daycare — a safe haven of learning, comfort, and fun.
Di launched the daycare when her youngest was just a year old. Bringing other children into the family home felt natural, and every child quickly became an extension of her own family.
Through every change across the years, Di has relied on the simple recipe of consistency combined with fun.
Di is keeping early learning fun, but she credits simple routines and consistent care for keeping children thriving.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
“Children thrive on routine,” Di said. Children know the daily routine at Di-Di’s Family Daycare — it starts with indoor play, table time or floor time, then morning tea, and depending on the weather, spending time outside after.
“It’s all about repetition and making it fun,” she said.
Whether they're exploring National Recycling Week, marvelling at World Space Week, or playing outside, Di's days are still driven by a passion for early childhood which shows no sign of fading.
Among the hundreds of little lives she’s shaped, one moment shines particularly bright.
In 2023, Di and her husband sat surrounded by roaring crowds in England at a cricket ground, watching and cheering on Australian spin bowler Todd Murphy, who she once cared for as an infant.
Di said it was really special for her to think the little baby she once helped nurture from when he was about 10 weeks old was there playing on the big stage in England.
“It was just amazing sitting there,” she said.
To mark the milestone, Di’s own children surprised her with a collection of video messages from past daycare kids across the decades, sending their gratitude to the woman who helped raise them.
And for families wondering how much longer Di will be welcoming children into her home, there’s good news - she has no plans to retire anytime soon.
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