About 260 people have signed the petition started by Emma Klippell and Jasmine Pierce three weeks ago asking Towong Shire Council to provide a "holistic, purpose-built centre" that would incorporate childcare, kindergarten, vacation care, after-hours school care, maternal child health services and allied health supports.

Parents, many of whom are working mothers, have responded in favour of the proposal, saying after-hours and holiday care was "desperately needed" and would be an "absolute lifesaver".

One woman wrote she had been forced to turn down a job at Corryong and take a job in another town due to the lack of "adequate childcare options for our three children".

Another woman wrote: "The older generation is declining and we need young families to move to the area so the Upper Murray can survive and thrive. Without adequate services that meet everyone's needs for care and education, we will struggle to maintain or progress our community."

Mrs Klippell, with daughters Ruby, 4, and Maggie, 2, works as a nurse once a fortnight while husband Ben works at Snowy Hydro Khancoban; she says many hydro workers need before and after school care options.

Meanwhile Mrs Pierce, with boys Jody, 6, Kelly, 4 and Archie, 16 months, has moved with her husband Jayden to his family farm near Tooma and says it's important for her children to be able to maintain interactions with their peers and for isolated mums to be able to access a supportive network.

The mums claim families within the Upper Murray are experiencing a lack of adequate contemporary, affordable and accessible childcare services, which provide long day care for 0 - 5 year olds.

The frustration has been further exacerbated after the bushfires that swept through the community.

Currently the only childcare service at Corryong is through private provider Peek-A-Boo.

The petition highlights the need for after-hours school care and vacation care for primary school children in the community.

"We (also) recognise the importance of early childhood education and the inter-relationship with Maternal Child Health Services and other child focused allied health services to promote and ensure adequate health and development outcomes for our children," it states.

A purpose-built one-stop early learning centre would provide a safe and supportive space for children and parents, according to the mums.

They say the current maternal child health centre is antiquated and not adequately able to accommodate the increasing number of mums and children at playgroup sessions.

"The space maybe fits 5 kids comfortably but we have 10-12 kids at playgroup on average and there are no provisions for creative play," Mrs Klippell said.

"The kitchen is not functional, and the oven doesn't work, which is outrageous.

"We'd love a place where kids could grow their own produce and learn how to turn those vegetables into zucchini slice, for example."

Just as importantly, Mrs Pierce added, is the provision of pathways and school-readiness programs for children as well as the vital opportunity for often rural and remote parents to interact and discuss issues.

Family support officer Lou Middleton, a registered nurse and midwife who is studying maternal child health, said 12 more babies were expected into the community in January.

She supports a model that would see maternal child health services operate in the same space as early years development and education.

"It would be helpful as you would see children and their families as they came in for playgroup or childcare and you could assess the children in a familiar environment," Ms Middleton said.

A separate treatment room, that would allow children to access speech therapy or OT services in a setting where they already felt comfortable would also enhance the wellbeing of families.

This issue is pressing for those families working through NDIS frameworks and forced to pay for three hours of travel time for one hour of service delivery.

"With a designated treatment room, those allied health providers could see several children on one day and share travel costs," Mrs Klippell said.