Surrounded by family:Nambour’s oldest Dad, Fred Sandell, turns 103!

Back row from left, Karen and Robert Dixon and Hugh Fabbro. Front row from left, Olivia Fabbro, Jean and Fred Sandell and Mirth Fabbro at Fred’s 103rd.

Frederick Sandell has accomplished a lot over his 103 years of life but his proudest achieve ment remains his family.

Born at Lithgow, New South Wales, on January 15, 1921, Fred’s first job was at the steel works in Port Kembla as a junior clerk, but just three months later he became a commercial trainee.

His job would take him around the country, with his first major appointment as an accountant at South Portland Cement at Berrima, a subsidiary of BHP.

In 1953 he accepted a position as works secretary at Mount Morgan Mine.

In March 1954 he met his future wife Jean at the Criterion Hotel on the day the Queen and Prince Phillip came to Rockhampton.

The Sandells lived at Mount Morgan until 1969, when Fred took on a job at Brambles Industries in Sydney.

But the yearning for Central Queensland was too strong and in 1973 he returned to Rockhampton, becoming finance manager and secretary of Capricornia Newspapers, where he worked until his retirement in July 1988.

In a stark change from his accounting years, Fred and his wife Jean retired to the family farm at Kenilworth to raise Poll Hereford Cattle before moving to Nambour.

Last year on August 29, Fred was acknowledged for 80 Years as a CPA member.

Fred said maintaining a slow and steady pace was his secret to a long life.  

“You just keep going, plough on, one foot in front of the other and a glass of Scotch might help!”

Frederick’s daughter Mirth Fabbro said friends and family continued to be inspired by Fred’s longevity. 

“We held a family luncheon on Sunday 14 January at his home in Nambour. This party was hosted by Mum (Jean) and myself,” she said. “Dad’s nephew Robert Dixon and his wife Karen travelled from Wollongong with other friends travelling from Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast  and Brisbane.”

“Then today (15 January) we had an open house for friends to drop in and celebrate his actual birthday.”