Peel Health Campus welcomes first baby of 2026, a boy born at 12.01am, while Rockingham hits new record

For one Mandurah family, the New Year marked a brand new beginning in many ways.

As the clock struck midnight, Rhiannon and Will Stinson welcomed a son, who was also the first baby born in WA.

The as-yet-unnamed baby, weighing a healthy 3.2kg, was born just one minute after midnight at Peel Health Campus and is the couple’s fourth child.

Hard-working midwives at Rockingham General Hospital were battling a festive baby boom.

The hospital welcomed 15 babies between Christmas and New Year; this was the highest number of births at the hospital in any festive season.

One in five babies born on Christmas Day was Banks Telford.

Arriving five weeks early, Banks was a surprise gift for mom Paige and dad Eathan.

Weighing just 2.5kg, Banks spent some time in the neonatal unit before heading home.

There were 33,232 births recorded in WA in 2025 and for families welcoming a little Noah or Isla, they are not alone.

Last year, 150 girls in Western Australia were given the name Isla, while 209 boys were named Noah.

In the Peel region, Oliver topped the list of boys’ names.