Keep Going – 100 Years of Leita

Another year of the amazing Leita from Mt St Vincent in Ulverstone Tasmania, who turned 100 in May. Leita is a woman of the land – practical, plain spoken and full of life. 

When we asked Leita what her secret to reaching 100 was, she wasn’t giving away her wellness routine but will tell you, “Stinging nettle soup and keep your knees moving.”

Leita grew up on a farm where childhood meant work, not play. Cows, chooks, rabbits, spuds – there was always something to be done. She ran to school to make it on time, then ran home to finish the jobs before dark. 

She had no complaints, and just did what had to be done. When asked if she had a dream job growing up, she was a matter of fact: “No – Dad had enough spuds to keep us busy.” 

The great love of Leita’s life was the animals. And among them, none meant more than her horse, Rosewing. Leita never had to fetch her from the paddock – Rosewing always came.

On the days she was across the creek, she’d go the long way round to avoid the water, picking her careful path back to Leita every time. It’s a memory that still feels like yesterday. 

Leita is a gardener and a cook. She has a treasured family recipe book in her room – a quiet record of a life spent feeding people she cared about yummy food and growing things. 

Her one wish? To have travelled more. Her advice is two words: “Keep going.”

When asked what Respect meant to her, Leita said: “Doing the right thing. Manners. Parents need to teach their children.”