Warrnambool's Audrey McLeod has no doubt lived through many struggles in her 100 years, but her latest challenge will simply be trying to remember who's who at her hugely popular birthday bash today.
More than 100 people from all corners of the globe including a grandson from England have joined Ms McLeod in celebrating her milestone birthday at a sunny garden gala.
When asked this morning how she felt about becoming a centenarian, Ms McLeod seemed far more focused on the task before her rather than her amazing achievement.
"I'm sitting here thinking now, I've got all these people coming this afternoon," she joked.
"I'll be thinking 'Do I remember you? Oh yes."
She said she'd received plenty of cards and flowers from her family and friends to mark the occasion, which also happened to be her nephew Richard's 80th birthday.
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But of all Ms McLeod's 100 years, she said one of her most significant memories was meeting her husband Jock in 1947.
"I was born at Nhill which is halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne, it was flat and hot and there was an air force base up there and I met this guy," she said.
"They used to have parties up there and I used to work at the telephone exchange and he said 'Oh I come from Warrnambool' and I said 'Well you're not getting out of my sight, so I'm getting out of Nhill with you'."
She said the biggest change she'd seen in her lifetime was communication as she worked with morse code frequently while at the exchange.
Ms McLeod also spent 30 years volunteering for the Red Cross, helping to sort donations.
"For years I went every week to sort for Red Cross," she said.
"They'd have big bins outside the places and people would put big donations in of clothing they weren't going to wear anymore.
"Red cross would distribute those to people in need. I did that for a long time - they gave me a medal."
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Jessica Greenan
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
