Ms Clarke, a resident at Warrigal in Queanbeyan, celebrated her 103rd birthday last week with an afternoon tea with other residents, staff and her daughter Sandra Lloyd.

While she may not remember WWI Ms Clarke has witnessed almost all of the major events of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Amazingly at 103 years old she still lives in an independent unit and, according to Warrigal staff member Kathleen Thompson, she still rakes her own lawn and tends to the garden.

“She’s an inspiration to anyone,” Ms Thompson said.

Ms Clarke grew up in Coodgee in Sydney before spending some time on the NSW North Coast.

She married the captain of the Coodgee surf club and gave birth to Mrs Lloyd, her only child. She has two grandchildren, one of which lives in Canberra.

While in Sydney Ms Clarke worked as the chief window dresser at Mark Foy’s department store at a time when the shop front was a major attraction for visitors.

Mrs Lloyd said her mother’s career meant she had a wonderful attention to detail and was always dressed immaculately.

“She always comments when I show up to visit her in jeans,” Mrs Lloyd said.

Ms Thompson added that Ms Clarke always notices her regularly changing hair colour which gives her a good laugh.

Her keen eye perhaps also helped develop Ms Clarke into an active golfer and a particularly gifted putter.

Mrs Lloyd said her mother played golf well into her nineties and says the exercise and socialising with younger people was a big reason she has lived so long.

She still goes for a walk every day.

Ms Thompson said Ms Clarke participates in all the group outings and loves to get out and about and remain social.

“She is a very caring, positive lady,” Ms Thompson said. “She is really appreciative of anything anyone does for her.”

While Ms Clarke is rather deaf she has remained healthy and is still going strong at age 103.