Goulburn's Doreen Corby prepares to mark 100th birthday

"I don't want a big party, just a family one," she tells The Post.

Mrs Corby will be the centre of attention on Thursday, July 14 as she marks her 100^th birthday with a family celebration and telegrams from the Queen and political leaders.

The Goulburn woman is blessed with the longevity gene; her sister, Elaine, is ninety-four. Another sister, Jean was 98 when she passed away and her parents were both in their 80s when they died.

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Mrs Corby was born in Queensland, the eldest of four children to Angus and Eva McKay. The family lived at her grandparents' Kingaroy farm but then shifted to a dairy property that her father ran at Nambucca. After her World War One veteran father died, the family moved to Taree.

When World War Two broke out, Doreen worked in a military clothing factory, a time she said she enjoyed immensely.

War also united her with her future husband in the early 1940s. Two Taralga men, Ray Blay and Carl Corby were stationed with their Army battalion outside Taree when Doreen's sister, Jean and her husband invited them to a dance one night.

The spark was lit. Doreen and Carl corresponded after Carl was sent to New Guinea with his heavy armament troop in 1942. The relationship continued after the war and the couple married at Taralga's Christ the King catholic church in 1948.

Son, Ian, said his father initially worked at Bill Thwaite's bread factory in Addison Street, Goulburn. Mr Thwaite then enlisted Carl to work on two district properties, The Knoll and Southernwood, where the family also shifted.

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But by 1952, a stroke of good fortune enabled Carl to buy a 711-acre soldier settlement block, Hillcrest, at Myrtleville, near Taralga. There they grazed sheep and cattle for almost 40 years, while raising two sons - Ian and Barry.

"It was totally infested with rabbits when Dad first got it," Ian said.

"Mum and Dad dug out rabbit burrows with mattocks for the first three and a half years. It was tough work."

Mrs Corby has fond memories of her time there.

"I love going back to Myrtleville, and Taralga is a lovely little town," she said.

"I had a lot of friends there but many have either died or moved away. I'm the only one left."

She has also experienced personal tragedy in her life. Mrs Corby's brother, John, died age 42 in a car accident near Uralla.

Following Carl's passing in 1989, she stayed on at the property for a short time but moved to Goulburn the same year. Ian and wife, Christine, have cared for her ever since in their home.

"The way I see it, she looked after me in the early days. Now it's my turn to look after her," Ian said.

"...How many people reach their 100^th birthday? All the family is very excited.

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He put his mother's good health down to never drinking, smoking or "having sugar in her tea," and the outdoor life on the farm.

The last word goes to Mrs Corby.

"One thing I'm very proud of is that I've never been in trouble or in court," she said with a grin.

The family will celebrate the milestone with a dinner, which will include many of her five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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