A baby boom in Point Cook and Tarneit is turning Wyndham into the newborn capital of the west.
New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal that in 2013, 3886 babies – an average of 74 a week – were born in Wyndham. That’s three times the 1264 babies born in 2001.
The municipality recorded Victoria’s second- highest birth rate after Casey, where 4133 babies were born last year.
South Morang, in Whittlesea, recorded the highest number of births per suburb (1129), with Point Cook second (990). Tarneit had the fourth-highest birth rate (737).
The baby boom means there are more babies being born in Point Cook and Tarneit than kindergarten places available.
Point Cook has four council-run kindergartens, which will offer places to 612 children next year. In Tarneit, three kindergartens will offer 616 places.
Wyndham council chief executive Kerry Thompson said the city’s high birth rate was impacting on early years learning, with the council wanting to increase kindergarten places.
“The council has allocated $5.8 million to the $7.3 million project to construct Saltwater Community Centre at Point Cook.
This project, when completed in 2016, will include two kindergarten rooms and two maternal and child health rooms,” she said.
“This year, the Penrose Promenade Community Centre in Tarneit was opened with maternal and child health and kindergarten services being provided.”
Ms Thompson said it was the state government’s responsibility to ensure suburbs had sufficient primary school places. The council’s job was to plan for where they were needed.
Across Wyndham, Hoppers Crossing recorded 521 births, while 501 babies were born in Wyndham Vale.
Werribee had 479 births, followed by Truganina (464) and Werribee South (126).
