‘Muka’ boasts a top crop of tots

The paddocks at Mukinbudin are green with new shoots but another flourishing crop is breathing life into the old Wheatbelt town: babies born at the highest rate in the nation.

Ten years ago, the town was dwindling, losing its young people to the cities.

But now, the tide has begun to turn as young locals return with their partners to start families.

With 12 births in 2013 in a shire of just under 500 people, Mukinbudin had the highest fertility rate in Australia, almost four times the national rate, according to the Bureau of Statistics.

Shire president Gary Shadbolt, whose family have been locals for more than 100 years, said his generation realised a decade ago the town was dying and asked their children to consider returning to the farms.

This led to a “grain change” for young couples also keen to give their children a country upbringing.

“I can think of 20 young couples who moved back in recent years,” he said.

“It seemed to reach a threshold where we got a few young ones and it started to attract their friends.”

Mr Shadbolt’s daughter Mandy Cheetham returned in 2012 with husband Simon and had daughter Anna in 2013 when “it seemed like every second woman around town was pregnant”, she said.

Friend Dale Cronje, also a farmer’s daughter, came back with husband Derick, gave birth to Savanna that year and both had second babies this year.

Bec Clarke and husband Mitch had only planned to return to her home town temporarily, until daughter Millah came along.

“It’s a great town with lots of community support,” Mrs Cheetham said. “Simon grew up on a farm in Nyabing, which is a country town like Muka, and we loved the way we were raised and wanted our kids to have that experience.”

Mrs Cronje said the arrivals also boosted the playgroup and daycare centre so there were always playmates around.

All three women had siblings who had also moved to Mukinbudin in recent years after periods away.

Although Mukinbudin’s population has declined, like many Wheatbelt towns, Curtin University demographer Amanda Davies said more people than expected aged 29-39 were moving in and fewer were leaving.

Dr Davies said Mukinbudin put a lot of effort into trying to stem the flow by maintaining links with children who had left to study and by increasing job and housing opportunities.

“The research shows the people most likely to move to a rural area have some connection. It may not be their home town but they’ve maybe come from another rural area,” she said.

Mr Shadbolt said new residents were bringing skills such as farming, teaching, accounting, real estate, cabinet making and plumbing.

The shire’s challenge was to ensure it had the facilities to keep young families.