AT 99-years-old, Leonie Pollock is described as a "living legend" by her loved ones.
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From being a women's cricket pioneer to serving her time in the Australian Women's Land Army, Leonie says she has had an interesting life.
Born in Ararat on November 11, 1921, Leonie spent her early years growing up on the family farm in New South Wales.
Leonie says those early years instilled a love of country life and the outdoors - something that has never left her.
Her family however moved to Melbourne after her father died of injuries he'd sustained fighting in World War I.
She said soon after her schooling years, she worked for Liverpool Electric Cable Company in an "office job" but missed the country terribly.
"I hated being inside all day, so they had me out delivering the unstamped mail," she said.
Leonie said she was never cut out for an office career and said her love for sport and the outdoors was too strong.
It was hard being a woman and playing cricket at that time, they looked down on you.
- Leonie Pollock
Regarded as a cricket pioneer by many, Leonie and her friend Val Shields created their own cricket team.
She said they started playing in cow paddocks before getting the chance to play at the MCG.
Leonie said although it was difficult to be taken seriously at the time, she didn't allow it to stop her.
"It was hard being a woman and playing cricket at that time, they looked down on you," she said.
"It was difficult because it wasn't classified as feminine."
When World War II began, Leonie was recruited into the Australian Women's Land Army (AWLA), which was formed to combat rising labour shortages in the farming sector as the men left to fight overseas.
The AWLA girls were sent all over Victoria, wherever there was a need.
"I loved it. I got away from the rat race of the city life," she said.
"We had to do men's work - plough, drive a horse, pick fruit, whatever the farmer wanted. There wasn't a man left."
"They soon found out that I could handle horses so they gave me the horse jobs and that was really good.
"I loved working with horses and being outside. I didn't like being inside and doing office things at all."
After the war, Leonie met husband Neil, an agricultural farmer from Derby in northern Victoria.
Leonie's daughter, Kathryn Symons said her parents met over a tennis match in Melbourne.
"My dad was in Melbourne and because he was a sportsman, he went to the tennis courts in Sandringham, and just so happened my mother was playing tennis that day," she said.
"When they went to the tennis court, he asked to join and play tennis. So he had a game of tennis with my mother and my dad was smitten.
"That's the start of how my mum met my dad."
Leonie and Neil went on to have six children, 14 grand children and 33 great grand children.
"She is an amazing lady who came up and married dad and worked on that farm," Kathryn said.
"She is the most resilient, hardworking woman. She would shoot snakes, ride horses and I honestly would call her a living legend, she did everything."
Now, Leonie resides at Inglewood and District Health Service where she spends her days playing Bingo, looking after friends and keeping busy.
Leonie's story was recognised as part of the state government's Recognising Senior Victorians initiative, celebrating notable Victorians living in aged care.
The initiative is designed to celebrate the diverse and interesting lives of 50 Victorians living in aged care across the state, following a tough year caused by the global pandemic.
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