Beautiful babies to bond with Bourke

Sam Canty Senior cradles Sam Canty Junior with proud Aunty, Pat Canty, who is encouraging parents to take part in the Welcome Baby ceremony next week. Photo TWH

Bourke families are preparing for one of the community’s most meaningful celebrations, with the Welcome Baby to Bourke Ceremony set to take place at Darling Park on Thursday, October 9th, from 11am.

This year, over 30 babies have already been registered, with more expected in the lead-up to the day. Event organiser Pat Canty, Bourke’s Manager of Aboriginal Partnerships and Community Engagement for the Western NSW Local Health District, said families could still put their names down.

“We get people to register because we have certificates made up and present them on the day,” Ms Canty said. “But if parents haven’t had the chance to register, they can still come along. We’ll make sure every baby is acknowledged.”

The ceremony, now in its fourth year, was developed after the closure of maternity services in Bourke more than 25 years ago. Babies born to Bourke families now enter the world away from Country, often in Dubbo or other regional centres.

“Whilst the State made that decision years ago, we wanted to make sure our babies still had that connection back to Bourke,” Ms Canty said. “For Aboriginal families in particular, it’s about belonging, but all babies are welcome.” […]

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