IN her 100 years, Audrey Golding has put more kilometres on the clock than most could dream of.

She has known how to make the most of her time with those she loves, having spent many years exploring Australia on two round-country trips.

Her daughter Maxine Whitney said her mum, who now lives at Gawler East’s Trevu House, truly deserved to reach 100 years old.

“She can still play cards and do lots of things with the grandchildren and she’s a great conversationalist,” she said.

“A very wise, down-to-earth woman; you could always rely on her to be the best in a crisis.”

Audrey was born on July 22, 1920, in Stirling, the oldest of nine children to parents Elliott House and Alice (nee Lintern).

The family ran a small farm and Mrs Golding said it was a happy childhood with “always lots to do.”

In her teens she worked for politician Sir Alick Downer as a nurse-maid to a young (future Foreign Affairs minister) Alexander Downer – a job she said was easy because the children were so well-behaved.

She punched train tickets at the Adelaide Rail Station until she was married and required to leave the State Government position.

She had Maxine, her only child, at 24 and went to work as a waitress at the iconic Balfours Café in Adelaide.

Audrey remarried, to Gordon Golding, but tragedy struck when he was seriously injured in a work accident.

He spent several months in the Royal Adelaide Hospital learning how to walk again, during which Audrey began work nearby making generators for Dunlite Electronics in Frome Street – a position she held for 30 years.

Gordon recovered, but realising the fragility of life, and as Audrey reached retirement, the pair decided to fulfil their dream and caravan all around Australia, on and off for some eight years.

“Very happy times. Thoroughly enjoyed it,” Mrs Golding said.

“I used to say ‘I don’t know why people go overseas – there’s plenty to see in Australia.

“I think one of the favourites was Queensland; lots of wildlife there and fishing, and the (warm) weather.”

Eventually the pair returned to South Australia where they lived first at Port Pirie and then Evanston to be closer to city health care for Gordon.

After Gordon passed, Audrey went to Ardrossan to be with her sister-in-law.

She became well-known in the community as president of the CWA, and for her help with running the hospital’s Care and Share group.

The opportunity then arose to head off around Australia once more, with Audrey enjoying a wonderful 10 years of travelling with good friend Horrie Stewart until he passed in 2005.

Audrey returned to live with her daughter, at Evanston, remaining very independent and even continuing to drive into her 90s.

She also kept the travel bug, becoming a familiar face on Corston Coaches trips out of Gawler.

It was only a couple years ago Audrey moved to Trevu, where she still enjoys reading, playing Scrabble and doing her word finders.

As for reaching such a terrific age, Audrey said it might be to do with her good eating habits, learnt when managing Gordon’s diabetes, and her active lifestyle.

She celebrated her birthday with an afternoon tea at Trevu on Wednesday and with a family celebration, at Williamstown, on Saturday.