Perth Children's Hospital Foundation

Over the course of construction of WA's first children's hospice, we have welcomed media, politicians, donors, partners and families through Sandcastles (Boodja Mia) to see the hospice taking shape.

There is a significant amount of work behind every one of these visits. Our fundraising and project management teams, along with our executive teams and Board coordinate closely with West to West Group to bring people safely through an active building site, while sharing the detail, thinking and purpose behind every part of the hospice.

Those tours have become an important part of the Sandcastles journey. They have allowed donors and partners to see what their support is making possible, helped decision-makers and media understand why Western Australia needs a children’s hospice, and kept the children and families who will use it firmly at the centre of the conversation.

As rooms once seen only on plans have become real spaces, the tours have also helped people imagine what will happen here: families spending time together, children being cared for in a place that feels like home, and memories being created in one of Perth’s most beautiful coastal settings.

After six years of work to bring Sandcastles to life, every visit is a reminder of how far we have come, how many people have contributed and why this place matters.

Thank you to West to West Group for the extraordinary care and flexibility involved in making these tours possible alongside the work of building the hospice.

This NAIDOC Week, we celebrate more than the place where Sandcastles (Boodja Mia) stands. We honour the stories that have always belonged here.

Woven into the hospice is a remarkable Noongar story of Koronnap, a place of rest in the western waters where spirits continue their journey. It is a story of connection, belonging and hope, brought to life through the artwork created for Sandcastles by Noongar Elder Barry McGuire.

The artwork follows the journey of a little boy guided by mummun (the whale) towards Koronnap, while the muja (Tree of Souls) symbolises the release of spirits to their place of rest. Together, these elements remind us that love, family and connection endure.

Barry shared a message that sits at the heart of the artwork:

"We don't have a word for goodbye. We know we will see each other again."

As Western Australia's children's hospice prepares to welcome its first children and families in the coming months, we are deeply grateful to Barry McGuire, Soft Earth, the wider Noongar community and our design partners at Hassell for sharing, honouring and thoughtfully bringing this story to life. Together, they have helped create a place that will offer comfort, connection and hope to families for generations to come.

Sandcastles and Perth Children's Hospital Foundation (PCHF) acknowledge the enduring strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, honour the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work, and celebrate the stories that continue to connect us all.

The WA Government's $100 fuel support payment is now open.

With cost-of-living pressures affecting so many WA families, this payment is designed to give a little breathing room.

If you're able to, consider paying it forward to PCHF when you claim. Simply select the Children's category, where PCHF is one of five beneficiaries you can support.

The choice is completely yours. But if you do choose to donate, thank you for helping WA's sick kids. 💙