Nine-year-old Sienna Clifford can claim something none of her peers can.
She's the only child known to have been born in her community of Flinders Island in the Furneaux Group of islands in more than a decade.
The Furneaux Group of islands is located above the north-east tip of Tasmania and is home to just under 1,000 people.
As a remote community with limited health services, pregnant people are advised to leave the islands to access maternal health services before their due date.
Flinders Council Mayor Rachel Summers says leaving to give birth can be an emotional and expensive part of island living.
Sienna's arrival a night to remember
Mum of three, Kylie Clifford, clearly remembers the night her daughter Sienna was born at health service, Flinders Island Multi-Purpose Centre, in July 2013.
The night before she was scheduled to fly to Launceston in preparation for Sienna's expected arrival in two weeks, Ms Clifford went into labour.
Rather than risk having the baby on board an aero-medical flight battling poor conditions to mainland Tasmania, Ms Clifford stayed put.
"The doctor said to me, it's 20 years since he delivered a baby, and the nurse manager said it was 15 years since she had." Ms Clifford said.
"No one else in the room had, so it was a bit scary."
Amid the panic, Sienna was born without issue a little past midnight.
"I was home lunchtime the next day, which was lovely," Ms Clifford said.
"It was certainly a lot easier on the family doing it here, but that's because it all went well."
Assisted travel scheme covers some expenses
Leaving the island provides peace of mind but can be an expensive and difficult time for pregnant people and their families, Cr Summers says.
In 2020, Cr Summers was flown off the island to a hospital in Launceston at short notice because a change in her pregnancy was detected at roughly 36 weeks.
"I had half an hour to chuck everything into a bag," Ms Summers said.
"There were many tears."
Financial assistance for travel is provided by the Tasmanian government through the Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (PTAS), but Cr Summers said her family was out of pocket an additional estimated $1,000 for four weeks spent on mainland Tasmania.
Her husband Stuart and son Matthew's flights were not covered by the travel assistance scheme, Cr Summers said.
Nor was their accommodation subsidised for the dates she was in the hospital.
However, the family could access a reduced rate when staying with Cr Summers in accommodation outside of Launceston Hospital,
"PTAS will cover some of it, but not all of it." Cr Summers said.
"You still have to hire a car or get taxis. You have to pay for it up-front and then claim the money back.
"It does add up quite a bit."
What can and can't be accessed locally
The Flinders Island Multi-Purpose Centre provides nursing and medical support to a pregnant person alongside general practitioners.
Upon return to the Furneaux islands, family and child health services are available to new parents.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health stated a pregnant person is advised when to leave the island based on the risk of each pregnancy.
Cr Summers said that in recent years it could often mean leaving the island four weeks before a single birth due date or more for multiple births.
"It's really sad for women who are pregnant," she said.
"Being that I'm a bit of a worry wart, I don't think I'd feel comfortable having a baby here on the island.
"If something did go wrong, if you did need a caesarean or something like that, I'm not sure we'd have the skills to be able to deal with all of that."
