Babies continue to arrive in Gympie at a rate faster than the Queensland average, despite a slow down in the region’s fertility rate.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the region’s baby-making declined from 2.31 to 2.1, following the Australian trend for 2019.

Interestingly in 2018, the North of Gympie was producing more babies, with a birthrate of 2.64.

However in 2019, Gympie North dropped significantly to 2.11 and the South took the lead with a recorded rate of 2.17.

The data reveals that regional areas like Gympie stayed more consistent, while Brisbane had a more significant drop in births.

Compared to other regional hospitals, Gympie’s rate was narrowly below Maryborough’s 2.13, but above Gladstone’s 2.06 and Mackay’s 1.95.

It was significantly higher than Bundaberg’s 1.84 and Noosa’s 1.17.

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The statistics from 2019 reveal that Australia’s total number of births fell by 3 per cent, while Queensland’s rate only fell 0.3 per cent from 1.76 in 2018 to 1.72 in 2019, helping to stave off the baby-drought occurring in other states.

Other parts of the country experienced a more rapid decline, with the Northern Territory recording a 10.8 per cent decrease and New South Wales following behind with a decline of 8.1 per cent.

The states that had an increase in babies born were Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and Australian Capital Territory.

Out of the 61,735 births in 2019, 51.5 per cent of babies born were boys, while girls made up 48.5 per cent.

The data also revealed that parents of Queensland are getting older, with the average age of Queensland mothers jumping from 29.6 years in 2009 to 30.6 years in 2019 and fathers rising from 32 to 32.7 years.