On January 31st, a Goonellabah local, Thelma Riordan turns 100.

Not born to Lismore, she chose it as the place to bring up her family and watch it grow at the hands of those around her, including her husband Frank, who was a builder with quite an impact on the area.

Thelma has spent a lot of her life moving from place to place, initially for her fathers work, and then around the Northern Rivers from the mountains to the beaches, with Lismore a recurring theme.

Family has been the main focus in her life, marrying Frank at 21, bearing five children and bringing them up in a fast changing world.

“When I was younger, things, they were just different,” said Thelma.

“If the kids of today could see what I used to do when I was young, I think they'd laugh. It’s a different world all together.”

As a young adult, Thelma met Frank through a cousins ex partner when they were walking down the street in Sydney. Thelma and her party were off to a dance. The fellows they met tempted them in another direction - Luna Park.  

That night there was a spark that lasted the distance.

Thelma was engaged to Frank, before he was stationed in Papua New Guinea in the war. There were close encounters, but he arrived home safely to marry Thelma in 1946.

At that time, Thelma worked at the only job she was employed at as a seamstress making overalls for the Army.

After marrying, they moved to Casino, where Frank was originally from, where, as a carpenter, he built them their first house.  Thelma was not a complete stranger to the area, she was born in Repton (south of Coffs Harbour) but had spent time in Woodenbong as a child. 

The couple had their first child, John, soon after they arrived in the area, followed by Narelle, Jeffrey, Kelvin and Peter.  

They built two houses in Casino, lived on two farms, had four houses by the beach and lived in a few areas of Lismore in their time together in the Northern Rivers. That included purchasing “The Castle,” Harry Nielson's house (prominent developer of Lismore), which had the first swimming pool in Lismore.

Thelma admits at one point, empty of water, it was full of oyster shells and beer bottles!

Thelma's eldest son, John and his wife Barbara. Thelma holds a photo of her mother, Gertrude Latham, who passed away in 1999 at the age of 105!

Playing tennis was something she loved as a young lady and was quite good at. She used to play with Ces Penny, a Lismore businessman and tennis champion. However, family commitments did not enable her to continue in the sport. Later in life, Thelma took up fishing and enjoyed the leisure time with Frank and sometimes with her sister.

Thelma lost Frank in 2015, and although it was hard, life continued on.

“Life has just been special,” said Thelma, reflecting on her many adventures. She is very pragmatic about life and has been very accepting of its twists and turns.  

Thelma’s family are putting on a special celebration for her 100th birthday, “I am looking forward to my 100th. I will get to see all my family and nieces and nephews and friends.”

When asked if there were anything particular she would like to celebrate her birthday, she said, “I’d like it to be a nice day!”

Thelma's children have not moved too far from home, with houses in Tregeagle and Girards Hill. One lives in Avoca on the Central Coast.

From her 5 children, Thelma has 6 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren and looks forward to spending time with them all!