From a career as a fighter pilot to surviving a German prisoner-of-war camp, Dennis Jackson has incredible stories to tell as he celebrates his 100th birthday.
But the Fraser Coast centenarian said there was no secret to his longevity.
"It's nothing really," he said.
But between his career as a fighter pilot and surviving as a prisoner of war, to becoming a teacher and brewing his own brandy, the 100-year-old has lived life to the fullest.
He's also the only person in Hervey Bay to receive a lifetime membership to the local pool, which he still uses regularly.
His friends in his now home of Hervey Bay thought the milestone was worth celebrating.
"It was a big surprise. I thought we were going to have a small party for Christmas in July, but it turned out to be a big one … unfortunately it is me," he joked.
Dennis the fighter pilot
At the age of 18, Mr Jackson became a fighter pilot serving his homeland of England in World War II.
His father rarely spoke of his time in the war, leaving the family to piece together the stories of his remarkable career.
"His first appointment was to West Wales where they would go out and escort the convoys back into the UK. Then he was sent to West Africa, and from there he went to North Africa, to Egypt," his son said.
"He ended up getting shot down and managed to land, but he walked into an Italian camp and got captured."
Mr Jackson would spend the next three years transferring to different prison camps, despite his best efforts to escape.
"He and a bunch of others were in a cattle truck and managed to get out," he said.
Captured once again, he spent his 21st birthday detained in a German camp.
"He told me once that he didn't realise it was his birthday until three days later when a Red Cross parcel arrived, and he realised what the date was."
Life after the war
Once freed by American troops, Mr Jackson returned to England in the mid-1940s to try his hand at teaching.
"I didn't like it very much," Mr Jackson said.
"When I was teaching, I always wanted to go flying again — that was the biggest challenge.
"It took a lot of organising and sorting out, but eventually I got back into it."
He saw out his career as an airline pilot in East Africa and the Middle East, before retiring and relocating to Australia.
"We were in Melbourne because my eldest son lived there … but it was a bit cold, so we came up here to Hervey Bay about 35 years ago," Mr Jackson said.
Keeping busy
Mr Jackson's friend, Tony Cronin, said he could not imagine his friend would be slowing down anytime soon.
"He's very quick-witted, he's a kind bugger, and he loves a joke," Mr Cronin said.
Mr Jackson said while he didn't drink much these days, brewing brandy kept him out of trouble.
"It doesn't take long, and it gives you something to do … you've got to do something," he said.
"I do a lot of reading and I have one of these four-wheel scooters."
While Mr Jackson said there was no secret to reaching 100, it might be this …
"When the weather is nice, I make myself up some lunch, a cup of coffee, and I go down the esplanade and find somewhere to look at the sea."
