Mildura woman celebrates 99 years, credits active life for keeping her going

VIOLETTA Brown is nothing short of remarkable.

The Mildura resident turned 99 on Saturday and is still as active as she was a decade ago.

If you are a regular at Mildura Waves, you will have no doubt met her or at least seen her at the pool as she makes a splash there three times a week.

It was a tradition that first began when the pool opened two decades earlier.

“When the pool opened my husband Athol and I decided to give it a go and both of us decided to come and stay with it ever since,” she said.

“I have made lots of friends and since he passed away a couple of years ago it fills that gap and gives me something to do.”

Those many friends that Violetta has made over the years at the pool all celebrated her birthday with morning tea.

“Everyone here is always just really friendly and I have got to know a lot of people over the years,” she said.

Violetta believes frequently exercising at the Mildura Waves is one of the reasons she has lived a long and healthy life.

“Keeping active has really kept me going,” she said.

Digital Editions


  • All systems go for St Joe’s

    All systems go for St Joe’s

    SAM Alexander, from St Joseph’s College in Mildura, is coming up with some amazing ways to keep students interested in science. Ms Alexander is the…

More News

  • Robinvale assault results in jail

    Robinvale assault results in jail

    A MAN who inflicted a “sudden, frightening and violent” attack on a drug trafficker in Robinvale while “extremely drug and alcohol affected” has been jailed. The County Court heard 40-year-old…

  • Time served for assault co-accused

    Time served for assault co-accused

    A MILDURA man who struck a man with a cricket bat before he and a co-accused stole the victim’s phone, wallet, necklace and cash following a botched drug deal have…

  • Upgrades to outback health centre

    Upgrades to outback health centre

    POONCARIE has seen ambulance callouts drop to an average of once a month following renovations to the town’s Hospital Reserve Outpatients Clinic. The upgraded site next to the ambulance station…

  • Jail warning for serial thief

    Jail warning for serial thief

    A MILDURA mother has been warned that if she perseveres with shop thefts she will end up in jail. The Mildura Magistrates’ Court heard Bobbi-Jo Vidler had taken to drugs…

  • House prices still on the rise

    House prices still on the rise

    HOUSE prices in north west Victoria are continuing to outstrip other regional centres in annual growth. According to the latest PropTrack home price index data, north west Victoria’s year-on-year growth…

  • Promises too good to refuse

    Promises too good to refuse

    A MIGRANT worker who spoke publicly about alleged recruitment scams targeting Filipinos has now been threatened with deportation, prompting a New South Wales council to seek to intervene on her…

  • Species back from extinction

    Species back from extinction

    ONCE extinct in the mallee woodland of south west New South Wales, the pint-sized, carnivorous red-tailed phascogale is now being recorded leaping around one of Australia’s largest feral predator-free fenced…

  • Wicket grants open for community funding

    Wicket grants open for community funding

    LOCAL cricket clubs are encouraged to apply for grants available under the Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund. Funded by Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia, the grants support community cricket facility projects…

  • Writing on the wall for letter delivery

    Writing on the wall for letter delivery

    AUSTRALIA will eventually follow Denmark’s lead and abandon its letter service, with deliveries of handwritten notes, Christmas cards and household bills destined to become a thing of the past. The…

  • Mobile outage planned for Red Cliffs

    Mobile outage planned for Red Cliffs

    MOBILE services in Red Cliffs will be temporarily affected from Monday 9 March to Thursday 12 March while Telstra upgrades its mobile base station. Upgrades are being made to improve…