General News
27 March, 2026
Gwen Bourchier's milestone day
A positive spirit has carried Gwen Bourchier through a full century of life, and today she celebrates her 100th birthday with the same warmth and kindness that have long defined her.
Surrounded by generations of family, Gwen is marking the milestone after a life shaped by hard work, resilience and an unwavering goodwill towards others.
As family and friends gather to honour the remarkable occasion, Gwen has reflected on a life that began in a very different world.
“I wonder where the 100 years have gone, and there have been so many vast changes,” she said.
Born in St Arnaud and raised on a mixed farm at Wallaloo East, Gwen remembers a childhood shaped by simplicity, hard work and rural life.
Even her earliest school memories paint a picture of another era.
“I was always very short, and I had to sit on some books to be high enough,” she said.
She also recalled the old classroom tools children once used.
“We had this old-fashioned slate, it was a piece of slate with a wooden border around it, and that was what we used to write on,” she said.
Life on the farm was equally different, with everything done by hand or horsepower.
“My parents had a mixed farm, sheep, cattle and cropping and of course, it was all done with horses in those days,” she said.
After eight years at the local state school, Gwen went away to Ballarat for three years at boarding school, where she completed a business course.
She still remembers how little money could buy so much back then.
“We’d be given three pennies on Saturday mornings, and some of the lollies in those times were four for one penny,” she said.
When she returned home, wartime had changed everyday life.
She helped on the farm, cared for her mother and became involved in Red Cross and district fundraising efforts for the armed forces, including baking and sending Christmas cakes to soldiers overseas.
In 1948, she married her husband, Harry, and together they built a life on the land, first near Minyip and later in the Goroke district, before expanding to larger properties.
Through the years, they raised nine children and faced the usual uncertainties of farming life.
“We’ve seen droughts, and we’ve seen floods,” she said.
Despite everything she has experienced, Gwen said she never expected to reach 100.
“Oh, no, no, I never thought I would live to 100,” she said.
Among her fondest memories are the small gifts of childhood, treasured at a time when children had very little.
One of her favourites was a doll given to her by a teacher after she finished dux of the local school.
“She bought me a doll, and I thought the world of that doll,” she said.
Another highlight came later in life, when she travelled to England, Ireland and Scotland with family after her husband’s death.
The trip allowed her to explore family connections and visit places tied to the Bourchier and Dutson names.
“It was marvellous, because the Bourchiers have a lot of history in both England and Ireland,” she said.
That journey was especially meaningful because of her long-standing interest in tracing family roots.
“I’m quite interested in family history and I have quite a collection,” she said.
Now living in Horsham's Lutheran Homes Group for the last six months, Gwen says she has enjoyed village life and the sense of community it brings.
“I enjoyed living in the village situation, we had a good social club there, and I enjoyed participating in a lot of the activities,” she said.
As her birthday celebration arrives, she admits the milestone has brought a touch of nerves along with the excitement.
“It’s getting a bit tense now, but I know the girls have got it organised,” she said.
Gwen’s family is now a large and lasting legacy in itself, with nine children, 34 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren.
When asked what message she would like to leave with the community on her 100th birthday, her response was simple and heartfelt.
“Just be kind, as it would be lovely if the world could be at peace,” she said.