Western Australia's first dedicated children's hospice, Sandcastles (Boodja Mia), has been completed in Swanbourne following six years of planning and 21 months of construction.

The $38.6 million facility is expected to begin welcoming families in the coming weeks, providing specialist care and respite services for children with life-limiting medical conditions.

Located between coastal bushland and the beach, the seven-bed hospice has been designed to provide a comfortable alternative to traditional hospital environments, allowing children and their families to spend time together while receiving specialised medical support.

The facility includes three family suites, shared kitchen and dining areas, lounges, playrooms, outdoor recreational spaces, a hydrotherapy pool and a dedicated area for teenagers.

Eligible families will be able to access the hospice free of charge, with services ranging from overnight respite to extended stays of up to three weeks.

Clinically operated by the Child and Adolescent Health Service, Sandcastles will provide paediatric palliative care, specialist symptom management, end-of-life care and bereavement support for families.

Among the first families to visit the completed facility were Angus and Emma Nesbitt and their seven-year-old son Ryan, who has Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, a rare neurological condition affecting approximately one in 70,000 newborns.

Ryan has complex medical needs and previously required approximately 20 hospital admissions within a single year.

His parents said the hospice would provide an opportunity for the family, including Ryan's two siblings, to spend time together in an accessible environment without the disruptions associated with repeated hospital stays.

The facility has been designed to accommodate the needs of children requiring significant medical assistance while providing spaces for parents and siblings to relax, participate in activities and connect with other families experiencing similar circumstances.

Approximately 50 newly recruited nursing staff and almost 100 volunteers have completed specialist training ahead of the opening.

Additional landscaping works are continuing on surrounding vacant land, which is being developed into community parkland incorporating approximately 7,500 native trees.

These works are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

Family day visits and activity sessions are scheduled to begin during October, with the hospice gradually introducing its accommodation and specialist care services.

The completion of Sandcastles provides Western Australian families with a dedicated children's hospice for the first time, offering an alternative setting for respite and palliative care outside conventional hospital facilities.