Alvida Clarke, to turn 100, is one of the region's oldest Indigenous peoples

Hard work, a passion for dancing and a positive attitude in a life filled with plenty of laughter are the fundamentals to Vida's longevity.

The proud Ngarrindjeri woman, who turns 100 next week, is one of the oldest Indigenous people in the region.

Granddaughter Faye Clarke said Vida was "a real fighter, a strong woman" who, despite being sick with pneumonia this year, seemed to find a way to recover.

Vida was living independently in her home until a year ago with a woodfire stove and doing her own washing. She moved in with Faye's family for greater help keeping track of health needs, such as medication.

She defies highly-publicised poorer health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including those in regional areas where the life expectancy for Indigenous females was 74.8 years - eight years lower than non-Indigenous women.

While Vida has lived through a world war, major conflicts and 27 May 1967, the day when Indigenous peoples were officially counted in the Australian population.

Faye said her grandmother had always been a private woman, working hard and looking after her children and grandchildren and never spoke much about tough times.

"Growing up in Creswick we knew we were Aboriginal and didn't have a big [Indigenous] community to rely on," Faye said.

"We have a theory with football in our lives and good footballers, towns welcome you. My grandparents were hard workers and had a good reputation in towns."

Vida grew up in Blackford, not far from Kingston, in South Australia. She loved the bush lifestyle she told The Courier.

"I used to be dancing around. In the country, you just did that growing up," Vida said. "My grandfather taught me to ride because he wanted me to round up sheep so we could eat. We had no fridge, we used to have to tie the sheep hanging up in a tree."

Her parents were away working a lot and Vida spent most of her childhood with her grandparents. Vida's grandmother Ethel Watson was regarded as the last Queen of the Muandik peoples.

Vida moved to Kingston for school and used to love going fishing after school : "sometimes you would catch something and sometimes you wouldn't".

High school was where Vida learnt to knit. This is a craft Vida still picks up today, maintaining good tension and constantly pulling out to correct mistakes.

Vida said knitting was an important skill to make jumpers for her children. Her grandchildren have all been fitted out with her beanies.

She worked at the Kingston Crown Hotel until meeting and marrying Indigenous man Eric Clarke, who grew up mostly in Dimboola but worked on the railways, a lifestyle that kept them shifting across the state.

When they first moved to the Central Highlands, the couple arrived with five children in 1952 and Vida would operate the train gates first in Lal Lal, then Warrenheip before settling in Creswick after a stint back in Melbourne.

Vida was known for always keeping her sons' football boots clean and polished.

Faye has fond memories of going to the football with her grandma at Moorabbin to watch her uncle Eric Clarke play in the Victorian Football League for St Kilda.

Nowadays, they like to tune in to the television together to watch Vida's great-granddaughter Dakota Davidson playing in the AFLW for Brisbane Lions.

Vida also remains fond of watching horse racing.

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Looking after herself is important to Vida, who is a big advocate of drinking olive oil and using it on her skin. After a stint with trouble walking, Vida worked hard on cycle-like exercises to build back strength to move about.

Until about a year ago, Vida also enjoyed a little red wine each day.

Vida has seven children (three deceased), 12 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren that she said were spread on all different Country.

"All the family love her to bits," Faye said. "She's been a loving grandma."

The family will celebrate Vida's birthday with a big gathering on December 4. Faye said celebrations had to be on Vida's actual birthday, otherwise she would question the fuss.

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