It wasn't until a few years ago, when she had to order a birth certificate, she learned her birthday actually fell on July 30.

"My dad's birthday was on July 31 so we always celebrated together and I always thought my birthday was the same day," she said.

"I had to order a birth certificate to enroll in a course I was undertaking and it wasn't until then that I realised my actual birth date was the day before my father's," she laughed.

The Queen, Prime Minister and Governor General sent their best wishes to Nellie, all noting her birthday was July 30.

But despite her years Nell is remarkably sprightly, as sharp as a tack mentally and only suffers a few minor mobility issues. "I might have a little trouble getting around but I've still got all my marbles," she said.

During our interview, Nell was happy to cast her mind back to simpler times of life on the land, riding her pony to school and dances in the ballroom of her family's stately Gresford home.

Nell Southcombe was born in Nurse Sawyer's Maternity Hospital in Bourke Street, Maitland and raised in Gresford.

She attended Gresford School with big dreams of being a school teacher. Sadly that would never happen. She left school at age 13 to care for her younger siblings when her mother's health had deteriorated. She later took in her brother who suffered from a disability and looked after her elderly father. Nell became the sole carer for nine people.

Despite her heavy responsibilities Nell sought solace playing the piano at local dances and singing in the local choir.

She recalls with great fondness having to open and shut 32 gates three times a week during the Gresford mail and bread run to Allynbrook with her father who owned the local bakery.

The family home was historic Clevedon Homestead - its grand ballroom the venue for local dances and romances.

The mother of five, grand mother of seven, great grand mother of 15 and great great grand mother of one, later moved from Gresford to Dungog before buying a shop with a house attached at Largs. She stayed there for three and a half years but had to sell up when she had a fall which prevented her from working further.

It was after her accident that Nell took on a number of voluntary roles and ran five Simple Slimmers clubs across Maitland for 10 years

"I tell you what, I never thought I'd get to 100," Nell said.

"When I turned 90 I never thought I'd make another 10 years but everyone was egging me on saying my next goal was to get to 100," she said.

This one-time Maitland Citizen of the Year and now resident of Green Hills Lodge, could only celebrate her big day with a small gathering and a modest cake, as COVID 19 restrictions prevail.

"They're giving me an afternoon tea here at the lodge and I'll be having a glass or two of wine.

"My old doctor (the late Dr Clarke of Morpeth Surgery) was going to prescribe a sleeping tablet for me once and I said that I wouldn't take them. He suggested I have a glass of port or sherry before bedtime instead. That was about 40 years ago and I've had a glass of sherry each night since - I think that's what's helped me get to 100," Nell said.

"When I have the last of my tablets of a night I ask the staff here for my glass of sherry - for medicinal purposes of course."