ABC journalist Leigh Sales, and her husband, animator Phil Willis, welcomed their first child on January 20. Their son Daniel Oscar was born in Sydney at 12.50 am, weighing 4 kg (nearly 9 pounds), and 55 cm long.

Leigh joined the ABC in 1995, and became foreign correspondent to the United States in 2001, arriving in Washington shortly after 9/11. She covered stories such as the Iraq War, the 2004 presidential election, and Hurricane Katrina. She won a Walkley Award for her report on Guantanamo Bay, and wrote a book about Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks, Detainee 002. It won the George Munster Award for Independent Journalism. In 2008 she became the presenter of late night current affairs show, Lateline, and last year was chosen as co-host of the ABC’s flagship news and current events programme, the 7.30 Report. She has a blog called Well Redhead, where she recommends interesting articles.

Phil was a software engineer for fourteen years before a career change in 2010 saw him become an animator. He worked on the film Happy Feet 2. Phil also has his own blog.

Leigh and Phil met at Queensland University of Technology, where they were both students. They have been married more than 15 years.

Tennis champion Alicia Molik, and her husband, financial consultant Tim Sullivan, have welcomed their first child. Their son Yannick Jude was born last week in Perth.

Alicia has had an impressive career which includes five WTA singles and seven doubles titles, (including two Grand Slams), 13 ITF singles and nine doubles titles, an Olympic medal and a career-high ranking of eight in the world.

Alicia and Tim met in 2008, and were married in February last year.

Former AFL player Graham Polak, and his wife Alyce, welcomed their first child in Perth on January 11. They have named their daughter London Joy.

Graham and Alyce chose her name in tribute to both their fathers, whom they have lost. Alyce’s dad grew up in London, and Graham’s dad is named Don. Joy is the middle name of Alyce’s mother.

Graham began his career playing for Fremantle Dockers, and was traded to Richmond Tigers in 2006. He suffered severe brain damage when he was hit by a tram on a Melbourne street in 2008. It took more than a month for Graham to recover his memory. He played football 14 months after his accident, but after getting concussion during a game, retired due to ongoing health concerns.

Alyce Polak, nee Oksuz, is a former model. She and Graham were married in October 2010.

London Polak is now the third celebrity baby announced as born on January 11, getting the year off to a flying start.

(Story and photo from the Sunday Herald Sun, January 15 2012)

AFL player Jude Bolton, and his wife Lynette, welcomed their first child on January 11 as well. Their daughter Siarra Neve weighed 4.02 kg (9 pounds).

Jude plays with the Sydney Swans, and has been with them since 1999. Lynette is a wedding and event planner, and is part of the reality TV show WAG Nation, on Foxtel. The show looks at the private lives of the wives and girlfriends of Australian sports stars. She is a supporter of animal welfare charities. Jude and Lynette met in 2005 and were married in January 2010.

Although Siarra looks like a variant of Sierra, in this case it’s probably a variant of the Irish name Ciara.

Siarra Bolton is the first celebrity baby girl to be announced for 2012.

Award-winning actress Kat Stewart, and her husband, actor David Whitely, welcomed their first child on January 11 in Melbourne. They have named their son Archie Nicholas.

Kat became famous playing gangland wife Roberta Williams in Channel 9’s hit drama series, Underbelly, and plays Billie Proudman in Channel Ten’s comedy-drama, Offspring. Kat also plays a lead role on drama Tangled, on Showcase, and has appeared in the satirical :30 Seconds on the Comedy Channel. She is a member of Red Stitch Actor’s Theatre, where she has appeared in over a dozen stage plays for the company.

David is the artistic director of Red Stitch Actor’s Theatre, and a founding member. He has appeared in many of its productions, including the award-winning Red Sky Morning. David has appeared in several feature films, and taken roles in TV series such as City Homicide, The Hollowmen, Stingers, Beastmaster (US) and The Man from Snowy River.

Kat and David met through Red Stitch in 2002, and were married in February 2008.

Archie Whiteley is the first celebrity baby boy to be announced for 2012.