Life hasn’t always been a smooth sail for Joan Mitchell, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Monday.
The Melton woman was born at an orphanage in Tasmania on August 22, 1916. She never met her birth parents, nor has she found out her dad’s identity.
Son Bob Greg says his mum was “passed from pillar to post” when she was adopted at the age of six.
The centenarian married her first husband Charles Greg in 1934. He died in 1942 when she was six months pregnant with their fourth child.
“We had three boys and then [Charles] died while I was on the road for another child – a girl,” Ms Mitchell said.
“He would’ve loved her because he wanted a girl.”
Ms Mitchell worked as a book binder and an envelope-maker for several years.
In 1956, she married Will Mitchell, who died a decade later.
Ms Mitchell says the secret to longevity is avoiding alcohol and cigarettes and “doing the best you can with what you have”.
She celebrated her birthday with close friends and family on Monday afternoon.
Ms Mitchell had four children, one of whom died earlier this year. She also has nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
