On 2 September, Gerringong local Bev Sherwood will turn 105 years old - and she still thinks she’s got plenty of life left in her.

She plans to spend the day with her 85-year-old daughter, who is catching the train down to Gerringong - though Bev admits she’s more concerned about her daughter making the trip.

“My daughter’s coming down, which is a bit of a concern,” Bev said. “But she said she’ll be here, so it will be nice to see her.”

Born in 1920, Bev was a child with a lot of health issues until her early teens - but she’s been making up for it ever since.

“After that, I played a lot of sport - tennis, bowls, and golf - you couldn’t stop me,” she said. 

“Now I’ve got an exercise chair from the hospital, and I use that. I also go to exercise class once a week at the Gerringong Bowling Club.”

Bev Sherwood at a SOUL FIT 'Golden' class when she was 103.

One of her earliest memories is meeting her husband at a dance when she was just 13 years old.

“My father used to organise dances for young people. The man who became my husband came over and asked me to dance. I said, ‘I don’t want to dance with you,’” she laughs.

“My father scolded me and said I should’ve said, ‘No thank you.’ I guess that was the start of it.”

Bev and her husband Bill moved to Gerringong more than 40 years ago, and she still remembers the moment Bill fell in love with the place.

“I didn’t plan to stay. I was just passing through with my sister, but the car broke down and we ended up staying a week. My husband fell in love with the place, so we stayed.”

And she’s grown to love it just as much.

“I love the beach. The people. The clubs. It’s a lovely town. I used to go to the club often, but not so much anymore - although I did go recently and sat there for three hours chatting with friends.”

Bev once worked at a tannery and says she always enjoyed going to work. She and Bill had one daughter together, and although he passed away 17 years ago, she still remembers him fondly.

“He was a wonderful man. A good father. Everyone loved him.”

Over the years, Bev has faced her share of challenges, including breast cancer and a stroke last November, which forced her to give up gardening - her favourite pastime. These days, she’s content giving gardening advice from her chair.

“I just keep living my life. I’ve got my little dog, Gracie - she’s a great house dog.”

So what’s her secret to a long life?

“Exercise, keep moving. And my mum used to say I was a good girl - that she always trusted me. I also never eat after lunch, I don’t smoke, and I don’t drink. ”

Her advice for living well?

“Always love people. Don’t quarrel. Don’t get into other people’s business. Know right from wrong and live by it. If you know right from wrong, you’ll live a good life.”

Bev’s story is nothing short of remarkable. At nearly 105, she’s still able to get around her home with the help of a walker, her memory is sharp, and she can still hold a great conversation.

The Bugle would like to wish Bev a very happy birthday when the time comes on 2 September - and leave you with a few final words of wisdom from her:

“I love living. I’m not done yet. I love people, and that’s the way to live.”