Sam helps keeps our birth rate booming
TOOWOOMBA mum Terressa Elliott did her bit to boost the city's already high birth rate last year with the arrival of son Samuel.
Birth figures for 2011 show the city's fertility rate has been higher than the state average for the past five years running.
Is there something in the air?
Mrs Elliott thought she knew the reason.
"Having lived in capital cities, I know how wonderful Toowoomba is for raising children," she said.
"I got lucky - I now have two happy little kids.
"I think a lot of people come back to Toowoomba when they want to start a family.
"We've got the community, a family atmosphere and great schooling when they get a bit older."
The median age of mothers in Toowoomba was 28.4 for 2011 but Australia-wide there was a record number of women over the age of 40 having babies.
Making babies
- 2006 - Population 138,799 Births 1815 Fertility rate 1.94
- 2007 - Population 139,747 Births 2102 Fertility rate 2.06
- 2008 - Population 140,970 Births 2018 Fertility rate 2.12
- 2009 - Population 142,664 Births 2220 Fertility rate 2.24
- 2010 - Population 143,581 Births 2134 Fertility rate 2.23
- 2011 - Population 143,866 Births 2163 Fertility rate 2.27
Breakdown 2011 births by suburb
- Gowrie 94
- Middle Ridge 67
- Cambooya-Wyreema 88
- Lockyer Valley - West 143
- Drayton - Harristown 185
- Wilsonton 230
- North Toowoomba 107
- Rangeville 100
- Newtown 157
- Toowoomba - West 193
- Highfields 149
- Toowoomba - Central 205
- Toowoomba - East 110
- Darling Heights 223
- Gatton 11
Births by age per 1000 estimated population
- 15-19 years - 27.7
- 20-24 years - 90.1
- 25-29 years - 145.3
- 30-34 years - 123.4
- 35-39 years - 57.5
- 40-44 years - 9.9
- 45-49 years - 0.7
