By Goya Dmytryshchak
Altona North’s Nellie McGrath today celebrates her 100th birthday.
Nellie was born in Ireland before migrating to Australia with her husband, Myles, and their two children.
She suffered asthma and had been told she needed to move to a warmer climate. The choices were South Africa or Australia.
In 1960, Nellie and her family travelled by ship to Melbourne on the maiden voyage of the Fair Sky.
Her first home was a Nissan hut at the Brooklyn migrant hostel with no running water, kitchen or bathroom.
She secured a job selling personal insurance around Melbourne.
It wasn’t any easy job. She had to walk for hours, often in 35C heat, knocking on doors in a bid to sell personal insurance.
In 1960, another daughter, Mary, was born.
Nellie then worked as a child minder, looking after six babies for 2 pounds a week, before moving to West Footscray, where she worked as a housekeeper at St Augustine’s presbytery in Yarraville. She also served meals in the canteen of West Footscray’s Southern Can Company.
Nellie later moved to Williamstown and worked as a housekeeper at Customs House Hotel, before trying her hand at a local scallop factory off Nelson Place.
In 1971, Nellie and Myles bought a house in Mason Street, Altona North. She met many people selling Avon products and serving in the school canteen of Mount St Joseph Girls’ College.
One of her great loves is the Collingwood Football Club. In the past 59 years, she has rarely missed watching a game.
Nellie was a foundation member of the Altona North Bowls Club.
In 2004, Myles moved into the TLC Marina aged-care home and eight months later Nellie sold their house and joined him.
Nellie, who says her faith has been her strength, said that if she had her time over again, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“Be content with what you have and you will always be happy,” she said.
Nellie has eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
