Celebrating 60 years since our first Mater baby

From humble beginnings when it opened back in 1960, through to being known as one of Australia’s largest maternity services in Australia today, much has changed over the past 60 years for Mater Mothers’ Hospital.  But it appears some things have stayed just the same.

The hospital welcomed Maree Lash (Carr) into the world as the very first Mater Mothers’ baby on

2 February 1961, surrounded by Sisters of Mercy, Sr. Winifred Johnson RSM, Wendy Ross and Sr Audrey Lucy RSM. In celebration, Maree was  presented with a silver cup to recognise the special moment.

60 years to the day, Mater Mothers’ midwives and doctors gathered to embrace another extra special bundle of joy as Wendy Hall-Wood and Steven Wood welcomed baby Frederik Hall-Wood in the early hours of the morning.

“We didn’t know that Frederik was born on such a special day for Mater Mothers’ until the midwives let us know it was the 60-year anniversary since the very first baby was born here in the hospital,” Wendy said.

“Mater Mothers’ has such a long history of care in Brisbane and we were so excited to play a little part in that on this special day. We couldn’t be happier right now and can’t wait to bring Frederik home to his two older sisters.”

With both Maree Lash (Carr) and Frederik-Hall Wood both born in what the Mater Mothers’ midwives describe as the ‘wee hours of the morning’, the moment was fitting to both celebrate the hospital’s tremendous growth over the past 60 years’ and recognise its rich heritage that remains vibrant today.

In the six decades following the very first baby born, Mater Mothers’ has since welcomed hundred of thousands of babies into the world, bringing an average of almost 12 000 little lives earth-side each year, making one in five? Queenslanders Mater babies.