AN INSPIRATION: A very bright and spritely Ethel Williams has returned home from Adelaide where she celebrated her 102nd birthday on May 1 with family.

AN INSPIRATION: A very bright and spritely Ethel Williams has returned home from Adelaide where she celebrated her 102nd birthday on May 1 with family. Jenny Lightfootrokethelj

ETHEL Williams, of The Range, has lived in her own home for 82 years, does all her own housework and cooking and maintains her own garden.

Not so remarkable you say - well it is when you are 102 years old.

At the end of April, Ethel flew to Adelaide to celebrate her birthday milestone with her family.

Ethel (formerly James), was one of eight children, and was born in a hotel in Duaringa on May 1, 1911.

Her mother had caught the train at Comet to go to Rockhampton, where she was to meet her sister-in-law, who would take her to Rockhampton Hospital to have her baby.

She went into labour with Ethel on the train and had to get off at Duaringa.

On June 15, 1932 Ethel married Leslie Williams, who worked at McLaughlin's Brewery, Rockhampton.

The couple have two sons, Desmond (of Toowoomba) and Graham (of Rockhampton) and one daughter, Jocelyn (of Adelaide), three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Ethel, who has been a widow since 1977, has always led an active life.

"I have never had a car, so I have always done a lot of walking," she said.

Ethel said she used to enjoy playing indoor bowls and was a member of the South Rockhampton Uniting Church Choir for 50 years.

"I broke my hip when I was 90, so had to give up the choir," she said.

"I still go up and down the steps at home each day to put out the washing and look after the garden, so I get plenty of exercise."

Over the years Ethel has knitted and crocheted for the family and sewed all of her own and her daughter's clothes.

An as active member of the Uniting Church, it was nothing for Ethel to make children's clothing and aprons for the church fete.

"I used to make 50 aprons for the church fete, and not two of them were alike," she said.

Ethel also won awards at the Rockhampton Show for her sponge cakes, jams and preserves.

She continues to be a wonderful cook and every Friday she cooks a special dinner for her son and daughter-in-law when they come to visit.

Ethel is also no stranger to flying on her own. At Christmas she flew to Adelaide to spend six-weeks with her family.

"They really look after you on the plane. They can't do enough for you."