Eat fish. That is one of new centenarian Colin Fuller's tips to living a long and healthy life.
The Carinity Brookfield Green aged care resident turned 100 on February 4.
He was born Lionel Colin Fuller in Brisbane in 1926, to British parents who immigrated to Australia before the first World War.
In Colin's early childhood in the midst of the Great Depression, his carpenter father found stable employment as a lightkeeper with the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service.
This resulted in much of Colin's early life being spent at maritime locations along Queensland's coastline, including Lady Elliot Island, Double Island Point, Caloundra and North Reef lighthouses.
Colin has many fond memories of this time spent by the sea. Fishing was naturally a common activity and an interest he retained over the ensuing decades.
"I recall on many occasions my father's stories of how fish was such an important part of his family's diet then, and his belief that it has contributed much to his long healthy life," Colin's son Stephen Fuller said.
"Colin shared this early childhood experience with his older sister Joyce, who has also celebrated her 100th birthday. So perhaps there is some merit to Colin's beliefs about fish!"
After attending Kedron State High School, Colin's working life started during World War II when he joined the Royal Australian Air Force. He qualified as an aircraft engineer and worked at Oakey Air Base on a range of fighter aircraft.
After the war he worked in civil aviation then moved into sales and marketing, before progressing to his last and long-held position of Sales Manager with appliance manufacturer, Email Westinghouse.
Colin married his wife Lex in 1955 and built their lifetime home at The Gap in Brisbane. They had two children, Stephen and Angela.
After Colin retired in 1986, he and Lex pursued a passion for travel, love for family, gardening and fishing over many well lived and happy years.
"He is a keen fisherman and regularly camped on Fraser Island. He made his last visit there when he was 90," Stephen said.
"He shared a love of gardening with Lex and they were renowned in their street for the colourful displays of azaleas and petunias."
Colin is a proud great-grandfather to two boys and two girls, aged from seven weeks to two years.
Colin celebrated his 100th birthday at the Carinity Brookfield Green aged care home and was inducted into the Carinity 100 Club for centenarians.
