Less than 24 hours after birthing services returned to Biloela Hospital, a tiny local was already putting them to use.
Arlie Mae Milne arrived following a water birth, becoming the first baby born at the hospital since birthing services resumed.
For the midwives who had spent months preparing for this moment, the call came remarkably quickly.
The team had been celebrating the return of birthing services. Before long, they were back at the hospital to deliver a baby.
“They were really, really excited,” Arlie Mae’s mum, Bronwyn Milne, said.
Nurse Unit Manager Diane Tamariki had spent the past year helping build the maternity service that would ultimately welcome Arlie Mae.
A midwife of 27 years, Diane has worked across hospitals in New Zealand and Queensland and moved to Biloela to be closer to her daughter, a local teacher.
She joined the birthing project last year as a Clinical Midwifery Consultant, helping prepare the service for its return.
On the morning after Arlie Mae arrived, she described the occasion as momentous.
There is also a fitting detail in Diane’s own story: “Tamariki” means “children” in her language.
“I definitely think it’s an important name to have when you’re trying to set up a maternity service,” she said.
A year to prepare for one night
Behind Arlie Mae’s arrival were months of preparation.
Diane and the team travelled across Biloela, Moura, Theodore, Baralaba and surrounding communities, listening to women and families about what they wanted from their maternity service.
“When you say that we’re going to bring birthing back, it’s just been tears of joy and happiness for a lot of women,” she said.
“They just want to be able to birth close to home.”
Hospital staff also undertook simulations and emergency exercises, including transfer scenarios with Queensland Ambulance Service.
“We’ve been making sure that we’re ready and that we’re safe,” she said.
Then Arlie Mae decided it was time to put that preparation into practice.
Bronwyn had never had a water birth and had not yet seen Biloela’s new birthing suite.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but they were so committed to making it happen for me,” she said.
Supported by a student midwife and two clinical midwives, Bronwyn said the team immediately put her at ease.
“They were just so confident, and that put a lot of confidence in me,” she said.
“I don’t think I was ever scared.”
Three generations, one hospital
For Arlie Mae’s family, her arrival carries another significance.
Bronwyn was born at Biloela Hospital. So was Arlie Mae’s grandfather.
Both of Arlie Mae’s older siblings were born in Rockhampton.
“I had really good experiences in Rocky with my first two and that was the same in Bilo.”
Now another generation has been added to the family’s Biloela story.
“It is a bit of a full-circle moment,” she said.
By the next morning, word was travelling through town. Everyone at kindy drop off knew and were celebrating, messages and calls were arriving from people congratulating the family.
Bronwyn admits she hadn’t planned on making history.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want to be the first one off the rank,’” she laughed.
“But it’s how it played out, and I’m glad that it went the way it did.
“It went really well.”