On Wednesday, at Banksia Lodge in Shepparton, Hazel Donald marks a milestone that few are fortunate enough to reach.
The life of Miss Donald, who is turning 100, is an extraordinary tapestry of love, resilience and adaptability — a testament to a century well lived.
Born on a winter’s day in 1923, she first opened her eyes to the world at a hospital in Numurkah.
The early years of her life were steeped in the rustic simplicity of country life.
“I was born in Numurkah on June 28, 1923,” she said.
“I lived on a farm just outside of Katamatite.
“I went to school at Katamatite until I was nearly 15, before my parents sold the farm.”
Her parents, William and Edith Donald, decided to invest in Shepparton.
“My parents had bought two houses in Shepparton, one to live in and the other for an investment,” Miss Donald said.
But life, with its unpredictable currents, had other plans and soon swept the family into an urban setting, from Shepparton to Melbourne and back, with brief stays in Strathmerton and Dandenong.
In the backdrop of World War II, life was anything but calm.
A young Miss Donald found herself negotiating the intricacies of the switchboard, an essential communication tool of that era.
Moreover, while living in Melbourne, she confronted the sombre discussions of war-induced evacuations.
“In January 1942, they were talking of evacuating all the children to the countryside because of the war,” Miss Donald said.
“So we decided we’d evacuate ourselves.”
Over the decades, Miss Donald worked in several positions, predominantly alongside her family.
She has donned many hats, from mastering the switchboard to serving customers at a local butcher shop.
However, her tenure at the Shepparton Telephone Exchange, located in Shepparton’s old post office, certainly stands out.
“I worked at the Shepparton Telephone Exchange,” she said.
“When the clock above the post office struck, it shook the building.
“And then I worked at a butcher shop, McColl and McLean’s Butcher Shop. I worked there for 24 years. I started working there in 1949.”
While the war raged on, Miss Donald chose not to marry, attributing her decision to her selectiveness during those tumultuous times.
“It was war time, and I was fussy, I think,” she said.
Instead, she shared her home on Corio St with her parents, sister, Dorothy Brisbane, and brother-in-law, Ern Brisbane, where she lived for a remarkable 57 years.
As an unmarried woman, Miss Donald found love in her extended family.
A beloved aunt, great aunt, great-great aunt and great-great-great aunt to dozens of nieces and nephews, her zest for life remains undimmed.
Indeed, she lived independently in a unit at Shepparton Villages Kialla Gardens Village until five years ago.
Now, she enjoys her days playing shuffleboard, although “it’s getting harder”, she said.
When asked about the secret to her long life, Miss Donald responded with the same spark that has undoubtedly carried her through her hundred years.
“I don’t know, just living,” she said.
“My grandmother was 92 when she died, my mother was 98, and my mother’s cousin was 100 and three months.”
As Miss Donald embarks on her 101st year, she embodies the spirit of resilience and grace, inspiring those around her with her compelling story.