Then its twin arrived, and when they went to check on the new family the next morning a third newborn had appeared.

Triplet lambs are uncommon, and the McDonalds were uncertain when the third would arrive.

The Mitchell Park family have five sheep on their 10 acre farm "for fun" and had a ram in with their flock for about two months earlier this year. One lamb was born about eight weeks ago and there was little sign of any other of their ewes being pregnant.

"Two days ago my husband came in from outside and said there's a lamb, then about half an hour later the kids (Miller, 10, and Maylea, 7) saw the second one born," said Jasmyn McDonald.

"We went inside and when we came out in the morning to check there were three of them!"

Ms McDonald said the triplets were healthy and all shared a curious nature with Ms McDonald having to free one of the young lambs from a barrel it had got stuck in.

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