Baranduda's oldest resident Ivy Martin celebrates her 106th birthday

That was the post in icing atop Ivy Martin’s birthday sponge on Thursday as she celebrated her milestone with kin and friends at Baranduda’s Westmont care home.

“You might be 107 by the time I finish this,” son Philip, 74, said as he read a speech which attributed his mother’s longevity to an “unselfish generosity of spirit”.

Mr Martin concluded by saying: “Thank you mum, I look forward to seeing you at 110.”

Asked later by The Border Mail whether she thought she would live to 110, Mrs Martin replied: “I think that’s rather ambitious.”

She was not counting on turning 106.

“I didn’t think I’d make it,” Mrs Martin said.

“Too many things can happen to people, you have different people going to celebrate a big birthday and they just disappear the day before and the night before.”

The widow of 47 years uses a wheelchair and has poor eyesight, but says: “I’m fortunate to still have my marbles I suppose.”

Mrs Martin has previously attributed her long life to cheese and wine.

But Mr Martin said his mother’s friendships which extend from Australia to the family’s native England also “keep her going”.

Mrs Martin dictated the words for 55 Christmas cards which featured a photograph of her with Wodonga grandson John Martin and his restored 1974 Holden.

Eldest son Dick Martin, 80, hosted his mother in a granny flat at his Wodonga home for many years before she moved into Westmont.

“I keep saying to mum if she lasts much longer I’ll be in here with her,” Mr Martin said with a laugh as his mother sampled her cake.