Maren Hansen, Australien 1908 -

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/maren-celebrates-milestone-birthday/2623915/

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Maren celebrates milestone 107th birthday

Kate Dodd | 1st May 2015 6:00 AM

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READY FOR CELEBRATIONS: Maren Hansen will celebrate her 107th birthday on Sunday.Bev Lacey

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THERE are not many people who can boast reaching a milestone like Maren Hansen has.

Mrs Hansen will celebrate her 107th birthday this Sunday, making her one of Australia's oldest women.

Mrs Hansen was born in Denmark on May 3, 1908, which is where she met the love of her life, husband Emil.

The two then decided they wanted to move to Australia - a decision their eldest child Elsi Wieck suspects was because they wanted a better life.

Mr Hansen arrived in Australia first in 1934 and Mrs Hansen followed in 1935.

The trip took six weeks by boat.

Mr Hansen arrived in Brisbane before travelling to the Darling Downs and began living and working in the Maclagan/Dalby area.

Once the young couple were reunited, they were married once they were settled in Australia.

Mr and Mrs Hansen acquired some farm land to live and work on and the births of their three children soon followed - Elsi was born in 1936, Egon in 1938 and Orla in 1939.

In addition to her three children, Mrs Hansen has 30 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

The family had a farm at Maclagan, but then moved to Wandoan.

Mrs Wieck said her mother loved life on the farm.

"I think it was the freedom of the farm," she said.

"Denmark is little so she just loved it."

When Mrs and Mrs Hansen grew older, their children looked after the farm.

After Mr Hansen died in 1992, Mrs Hansen moved to Toowoomba to live with her sister Mary Knosgaard, who worked at St Vincent's Hospital.

She moved into Salem Lutheran Rest Home on December 2, 2010.

Mrs Wieck said her mother was a keen knitter and had knitted many bags full of squares, some which were sewn together into blankets.

Mrs Hansen will celebrate with a party on Sunday.

TOPICS:  BIRTHDAY, SALEM HOME FOR THE AGED,TOOWOOMBA