Looking back on her 100 years of life, Clarice Christensen describes her life as very hectic, but full of memorable twists and turns.
“I couldn’t ask for any more,” she added.
Having turned 100 on October 3, Clarice still has a remarkable memory, recalling childhood moments from as far back as 11 years old, including when electricity was first connected to her family home in Warrell Creek, New South Wales.
Her parents Augustus and Emma Williams owned a dairy farm where Clarice spent her childhood riding her chestnut horse Phyllis.
She also loved playing the piano and dancing, learning dances on the family verandah alongside her two sisters and brother.
Clarice remained in Warrell Creek until she married her late husband Ron in 1945, when the couple moved to the Manning River region near Taree.
They raised their only daughter Rhonda together.
Ron owned a motor vehicle wrecking yard, with the couple dedicating much of their time to the business until he passed in 1993.
Clarice continued running the business before selling it in 1998, when she and her family, including her three grandchildren and, later, five great-grandchildren, moved to Queensland.
In 2016, Clarice moved from the Gold Coast to Tamborine Mountain, where she lived until selling her home in 2025.
Her love of the country and wildlife also followed her throughout life, with birdwatching becoming a particular interest after she joined a local birdwatching group in Taree.
“The beauty of the bush, the new scenery, the bird life … it was a really beautiful club to be in,” Clarice said.
During her years on Tamborine Mountain, she became involved in several local groups, including U3A, the garden club and birdwatching.
She now lives with her granddaughter Kim Baker in Beaudesert.
A birthday wish
When asked what she wished for as she celebrated her 100th birthday, Clarice kept it simple: good health.
“I’ve been a very fortunate, healthy person…it’s so important,” she said.
She believes her long and healthy life may have something to do with a diet of whole foods, plenty of potatoes and cups of tea.
“There’s some sort of secret there behind it,” she laughed.
Clarice plans to continue taking each day as it comes – surrounded by the people she loves.
