Barbara’s career in education began as a primary school teacher, and after several years she formalised her interest in early childhood education by studying a postgraduate degree in the field. Concerns about the challenges faced by children during transition to school saw her undertake a master's degree by research, ‘The transition from kindergarten to the first year of school: Implications for planning programs which facilitate a smooth transition' (1999). Teaching across early childhood and primary education led to a strong interest in play-based learning in schools, and Barbara undertook a PhD to explore this further, ‘The Changing Face of Play in Australian Primary School Playgrounds' (2007). Working in tertiary teacher education followed, and opportunities to expand research interests emerged through research partnerships around the world.

Barbara’s research and practice have always been intertwined and underpinned by emerging interests related to children and their outdoor play. More recently, her focus has been on worldwide concerns relating to the Anthropocene and the resulting focus on immersive nature programs for children such as forest preschools and schools that connect children with the natural world. She was an integral part of developing the first Bush Kinder in Australia at Westgarth in Melbourne, an approach to early childhood education that has been adopted across the country. She continued her interest in supporting early childhood practitioners to introduce similar approaches, and in 2022 co-authored Early Years Learning in Australian Natural Environments. This text has proved popular with practitioners and is used in several universities. 

From 2001 to the end of 2016, Barbara worked in the School of Education, College of Design and Social Context at RMIT University. Her roles at RMIT included Program Director of the Early Childhood programs, coordinating, writing and lecturing in undergraduate and postgraduate early childhood teacher education courses, primary teacher education courses and professional practice studies. She was a member of several university committees, including SOE Ethics, Learning and Teaching, Program Review and International Partnerships. Barbara supervised and co-supervised several HDR students, managing processes including confirmation of candidature. She managed international professional placements for students in several countries, working with host institutions to ensure productive partnerships. 

Barbara set up a consultancy business focused on outdoor playspace design and management, delivering to early childhood settings, schools and local government. Experiences in this space continue to inform her research around community challenges and solutions. She has published in several industry newsletters and media outlets. She has been a long-standing board member of Play Australia (International Play Association), the national advocacy body for children’s play, as Research and Advocacy Chair. In 2022 she received a life membership and was awarded the Joan Matheson Award for Distinguished Service. She was nominated to the International Council of Children’s Play in 2018. Barbara is on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Playwork Practice (IJPP), and she regularly peer reviews for several high-ranking journals. 

Throughout her academic career, Barbara has attended and presented her research at international conferences and developed ongoing research partnerships in Europe, the UK and parts of Asia, as well as those within Australia. These relationships actively continue today. She works with qualitative and post-qualitative methodologies. 

Barbara is an associate professor of Early Childhood Education at Federation University, Mt Helen Campus in Ballarat, where she is actively involved in teaching, HDR supervision, research and leadership.