Great gran, at 110 you truly are remarkable: Meet South Australia’s fitness-loving oldest woman

She’s the second oldest person in Australia by just 15 days. Meet the Adelaide supergran who turns 110 today – and learn the secrets of her longevity.

Turning 110 today, age-defying Catherina van der Linden – South Australia’s oldest person – truly is a state treasure and most remarkable of women.

The mother of four, grandmother of 10 and great-grandmother of 13, affectionately referred to as “Toos” by her family, has outlived her beloved husband of 40 years, John, by four decades, after tragically losing him, aged 70, to a heart attack in 1980.

The fun-loving super gran, who as a near octogenarian broke her hip after falling while skateboarding in high heels, attributes her long life to remaining fit, active, social – and “unusual freaky genes”.

Four generations of strong women: Catherina van der Linden, who turns 110 on Friday, is pictured with, from left, great-grandaughter Isabella, 18, grandaughter Sam, 51, and her daughter Mariella, 79. Picture: Dean Martin

Without fail, the once keen tennis player walks twice daily and still hits the gym at her Southern Cross Care’s West Beach Residential Care home two times a week, remaining a keen gardener.

Today, the much-loved matriarch – who was born the year the Titanic sank and has lived through two pandemics and two world wars – will celebrate a new milestone birthday.

She is just 11 days younger than Australia’s oldest person, NSW man Frank Mawer who turned 110 on August 15.

Catherina van der Linden, who is ready for her 110th birthday celebration, with her great-grandaughter Isabella, 18. Picture Dean Martin

From horse drawn carts to motor cars and kerosene to electricity, the world has

changed significantly in her lifetime.

Mrs van der Linden says she recalls when a car cost $2000 and “a gallon of fuel (about 4L) was 25c”, shoes could be bought for a couple of dollars and a leather jacket less than $5.

Born in the Netherlands in 1912, Mrs van der Linden moved to Australia with her husband and young family – at the time Mariella was 12, Jerome, 7, Garrath, 6 and little Margherita, 2 – in 1955.

Catherina on her wedding day, held on her birthday in 1940. Picture: supplied

“It was a six-week sea journey and a great experience for the children,” she recalls, adding the family initially lived for two years in the Victorian migrant camp of Bonegilla.

“It was very basic … (we had) two freezing cold rooms inside a Nissen hut with a small two-bar radiator.”

The family later moved to Woodside before settling in Glenelg.

When asked if longevity is a family trait, the fashion-loving, immaculately-presented Mrs van der Linden, smiles and shakes her head.

“No, most of my family – I had two sisters and a brother – died in their early 70s but I did have one aunt who lived to be 110, so (I) must have her unusual freaky genes,” she says.

Cheers to me. On Friday, South Australia’s oldest person, Catherina van der Linden, will celebrate her 110th birthday. Picture Dean Martin

In fact it is Mrs van der Linden who sets the standard fitness-wise at her residential care home, according to Southern Cross Care chief executive David Moran.

“Catherina is impressively the fittest resident among her peers,” he said.

“(She) is a South Australian treasure who brings joy to our staff with her positive outlook and commitment to living better for life.

“We look forward to celebrating her remarkable 110th birthday milestone.”

Catherina van der Linden, who turns 110 this week, heads to the gym twice a week. She is pictured here with one of her trainers. Picture supplied.