‘Nappy Valley’ leads stakes in birth rates
GOLD Coasters need to get busy in the bedroom as the number of births in the city plummets.
However, some areas are bonking mad.
The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the Gold Coast’s fertility rate is among the lowest in the state at 1.65 – just below the Queensland average of 1.761 – and is well down on 2013 figures.
A fertility rate gives the average number of children born to women during their reproductive years by comparing births to the population.
The state’s lowest fertility rates were recorded in local government areas of Brisbane (1.47), Mornington (1.5), Douglas (1.54), Whitsunday (1.55) and Noosa (1.64).
The Gold Coast region recorded a 6.8 per cent drop in fertility in the past five years.
Surfers Paradise had the city’s lowest fertility rate of 0.84 and Clear Island Waters had the fewest number of babies born with 23.
It was the complete opposite in suburbs such as Upper Coomera, Pimpama, Currumbin Waters, Currumbin Valley and Ormeau/Yatala. Upper Coomera welcomed the most babies last year (540), followed by Pimpama with 447.
However, Pimpama recorded the highest fertility rate of 2.4, followed by Currumbin Waters (2.35) and Ormeau/Yatala (2.25).
Currumbin Waters and Currumbin Valley posted the highest fertility rate increases in the past five years, rising 17.8 per cent.
Currumbin mother-to-be Clare Watson said she could understand why her suburb had the fastest-growing fertility rate in the past five years.
“I couldn’t think of living anywhere else. It has everything you want for families,” she said.
“A lot of families start around here, especially to be in the Palm Beach Currumbin State High catchment.
“We have the beach and nature, but are close to shops. It is the lifestyle.”
Demographer Bernard Salt said a region’s fertility rate could also be affected by an influx of retirees and older people.
“There isn’t any less enthusiasm for reproduction on the Gold Coast in suburbs of first homeowners, especially in the north,” he said.
“In many respects the birthrate is used as a de facto measurement of confidence in the future of an area.
“A lower birthrate isn’t good for a community. You need kids’ youth and energy, you need workers and taxpayers. However, you still want diversity.”
Mr Salt said the Gold Coast was in an enviable position with the ability to top up its young population if necessary.
“If the Gold Coast doesn’t produce babies locally people are often happy to migrate here for the lifestyle. That isn’t the case for other areas with similar fertility rates.”
Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey said there was something “in the valley” that got the families in the mood.
“We called the area Nappy Valley a few years ago when there was a boom,” she said.
“Those kids have grown up and have now come back – we are seeing really high numbers for enrolments everywhere.
“They say sea air increases your appetite but I think it must be the valleys.”