Long time Drouin resident and well known former teacher Iris Maxfield celebrates her 100th birthday today.
The milestone was marked with a celebration in her honour at her son Ian and daughter-in-law Christine's Drouin East home on Sunday when she was joined by 80 people including extended family, friends and some former students.
Iris was born on February 11, 1925 in Swan Hill - the second of four children of Vera and Ern Wilde.
The first "place to call home" that Iris remembers was on a small Mallee farm on the Swan Hill to Lalbert Rd, seven miles north of Lalbert.
At age five, she began school at Meatian, with her older sister Elva in 1930. Iris loved to learn and for the next eight years, at three different schools, she embraced school with joy. She loved school and began writing on a slate with a wood frame.
Their attendance at school required their father driving them four miles in a Chev or their mother travelling in a horse and buggy.
Growing up with her siblings, she has many memories of childhood adventures in the wooded wonderland of the council reserve next to their property.
They left the farm in 1936 to move to Robinvale. Iris completed her merit certificate at Robinvale School in 1937 and went on to complete secondary school by correspondence, mastering French and English.
To sit for intermediate and leaving certificates, she had to board in Swan Hill for three weeks each time.
In 1942, Iris began her teaching career with her first appointment to Box Hill South School, earning one pound 12 shillings and six pence each week.
Because of wartime teacher shortages, country vacancies were filled by second year teachers and Iris was transferred closer to home to Lake Powell and then Girgarre in 1946.
Being offered a transfer, Iris listed Maffra as her first choice and Drouin as her second. She had always heard interesting stories about Gippsland, particularly Neerim where her mother Vera (nee Bottger) was born in 1900.
Iris - Miss Wilde - arrived in Drouin in May 1948 and remembers it raining a lot in her first year. Her first students at Drouin Primary School were grade two.
When Iris first arrived in Drouin, she said there also was the "friendly hand of the church" to welcome her. She has continued to be a member of the Christ Church community ever since. In the early days she taught Sunday school.
Iris met her husband Colin at church activities. They were married in 1952 at the Church of England.
They moved into a house in Young St, owned by Colin's father Arthur, which, over time they paid off in weekly instalments to be their own. Colin renovated the house over many years.
Once married, Iris was unable to hold a permanent role with the Education Department. She had three weeks off after the wedding and on returning to work, was relegated to temporary status at a lower wage, although still teaching the same class at the same school.
Iris had to resign after their first child Nola was born in 1957, and their son Ian was born 18 months later. Their family later grew to also include Neil and Dawn.
After the war, Iris recalls Pam Pretty, herself and a few others were anxious for their children to attend kindergarten. The former Buln Buln Shire Council sponsored the Oak Street Kindergarten, a committee was formed and they ran street stalls and cake stalls to raise money. Iris taught at the kindergarten in 1961.
Iris later took on a position at Drouin High School, when Clarrie Wilson who she had attended Teachers' College with, was principal. She continued at the high school for more than 20 years until her retirement at 65-years-old in 1990.
Missing the classroom, Iris continued as a religious education teacher at Drouin and Athlone primary schools.
Iris also was kept busy with the Women's Guild at Christ Church, U3A and meals on wheels.
Iris always maintained her links with family in the Mallee.
Colin died in 2015 and Iris continued to live independently in their Young St home. She has been a resident at Lyrebird Village for two years.