Friends of the Birth Centre Gladstone Region is a not for profit organization that promotes natural birth and birth choices for women.  We aim to raise community awareness and lobby Government for funding to build a free-standing Birth Centre in the Gladstone Region.

Our History:

There has been an extensive history of support for a Birth Centre in the Gladstone region since 2004.  There have been lobbying activities with formation of the Gladstone Regional Birth Alliance (GRBA) in September 2004.  The GRBA put forward a submission to the maternity service review in 2004. Other activities included an open invitation forum in November 2004 for interested health professionals and maternity support service in the region.  The inspiration for inclusion in the maternity services review came from Bruce Teakle the then President of the Maternity Coalition.   

In December 2008 a small delegation of concerned maternity consumers spoke to Karen Struthers Parliamentary secretary for the Health Minister the Hon Stephen Robertson at the community cabinet public consultation meetings held at Tannum Sands.  We discussed our concern over the limited facilities and birthing choices in the Gladstone region and gave Ms Struthers a letter outlining our concerns and requested the Ministers support for the approval and funding of a free standing birth centre for the Gladstone region.

                                 Below - our first public meeting on the 4th of February 2009.

Our first public event was holding a stall at the International women’s day festival on the 8th of March 2009.  On the day we were able to get over 100 signatures in support of a free-standing birth centre for the Gladstone Region!

Above - The friends of the birth centre Gladstone region's  stall at the International women's day festival (8th March)at the PCYC in Gladstone.

At a meeting on the 12th of march with our local MP Liz Cunninghame we discussed getting our petition tabled in the Queensland parliament and suitable locations for the birth centre to be situated on the hospital campus. 

                  Above - Speaking with our Local MP Liz Cunningham on the 12 of March. 

In an article was published in the Gladstone observer on the 16th of March regarding the Friends of the Birth Centre Gladstone Region's first public community awareness raising effort at the International women’s day festival in Gladstone.  The article discussed our  commitment to lobbying for a birth centre in the Gladstone region.  Following this in an interview with the Gladstone Observer on the 19th of March, Liz Cunningham MP, announced she would be ‘pushing for a stand alone birth centre’ if she was re-elected to parliament.

Our membership is growing and we are very pleased with the recommendations of the Maternity service review that recommended models of care that incorporated one to one midwifery care and the establishment of more birth centres.

For information on how to get involved with Friends of the Birth Centre Gladstone Region, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it