Australia’s worst-ever alleged childcare paedophile has been hit with 115 new charges relating to his alleged abuse of more than 150 children at five early childhood education centres in Sydney.
Hamish Alexander Edward Tait, 35, was on Friday charged with 105 counts of producing child abuse material, one count of carrying out a sexual act with a child under 10, five counts of filming a person engaged in a private act in circumstances of aggravation, and four counts of possessing child abuse material.
Tait, who has been in custody since in arrest in July 2025 but had his identity hidden by the courts for a year, is now facing 444 charges in total. He is due to face Parramatta Local Court on October 8.
The Australian Federal Police said the total number of victims had not increased, and investigators with Operation Moonbi said in August 145 alleged victims had been identified, with efforts still underway to find an additional 11 children believed to have been abused by Tait.
Tait is accused of carrying out his abuse at Fit Kidz Learning Centre Box Hill, Fit Kidz Learning Centre Putney, Fit Kidz Learning Centre Rouse Hill, Fit Kidz Learning Centre Warrawee, and Wild Earthlings Glenorie, between 2009 and 2025, but worked at or attended 57 more facilities.
Wild Earthlings was his own business, which was promoted as a “bush kindy service aimed at reconnecting children to the natural world” by a Fit Kidz centre in Dural South, with photographs showing him playing the didgeridoo and interacting with children in the bush.
Investigators started Operation Moonbi in June 2025 following a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about a person uploading a file depicting child abuse online, and linked Tait to the alleged online activity.
They searched Tait’s home in Glossodia, in Sydney’s north-west, and seized electronic devices allegedly containing 2.4 million files and a large volume of child abuse material.
His identity was kept suppressed by the AFP so they could contact the families of alleged victims and protect the integrity of the investigation, but when they attempted to go public in June in order to identify addition victims, Tait’s legal team fought to keep the gag order in place.
The non-publication order was extended by two weeks after Tait’s lawyers argued their client was at risk of self-harm and violence in prison, and that the order was needed to protect the “mental safety” of his family, but it was then lifted by a judge.
Tait worked at or attended 62 early childhood education facilities, predominantly in Sydney’s north-west, which are listed below:
- Alasan Cottage Preschool
- Amata Anangu School
- Beaumont Hills OOSH (Jigsaw OOSH or Beaumont Hils OOSH)
- Bright Minds Cranebrook
- Carinya Neighbourhood Childrens Centre Inc
- Cocoon Early Learning Centre
- Cooranbong Valley Community Preschool
- Dee Why Kindergarten
- Endeavour Early Education – Kariong
- Explore & Develop Leichhardt
- Explore & Develop Roseville
- Explore & Develop Waitara
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Box Hill*
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Dural North
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Dural South
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Glenwood North
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Glenwood South
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Putney*
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Rouse Hill*
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Turramurra
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Vineyard
- Fit Kidz Learning Centre Warrawee*
- Friendly Faces Childcare
- Glenning Valley Child Care Centre
- Glenorie Preschool
- Goodstart Early Learning Centre Woodcroft
- Gorokan Preschool
- Gracelands Early Education Centre
- Heritage House Cherrybrook Early Education Centre
- Jasmine Preschool
- Jigsaw OOSH Dural
- Kiddiwinks Play, Laugh & Learn – Warriewood
- Kindy 4 Kids
- Kradle 2 Krayons Long Day Centre
- Leura Child Care Centre
- Little Peoples Early Learning Centre Wollongong
- Maraylya Early Learning Centre
- Milestones Early Learning, Baulkham Hills
- Mimosa Kids
- MindChamps Early Learning & Preschool Lane Cove
- Montessori Academy – Alexandria
- Montessori Academy – Engadine
- Montessori Academy – Gymea
- Montessori Academy – Penrith
- Montessori Academy – Zetland – Victoria Park
- Morisset and District Children’s Centre
- Oakville Preschool
- Pacific Hills OOSH / BAASC
- Pennant Hills Before & After School Care
- Peter Pan Kindergarten
- Quakers Hill Kindergarten and Child Care Centre
- Silverdale Child Care Centre
- Tiny Tykes family day care
- Wiggles & Giggles Cranebrook
- Wild Earthlings Cumberland State Forest
- Wild Earthlings Glenorie*
- Wild Earthlings Sydney Park
- Wild Earthlings Wolli Creek
- Willunga Child Care Centre
- Windsor Preschool
- Woodport Early Learning Centre
- Young Academics Early Learning Centre Rouse Hill
* Indicates locations where police allege offending occurred.
