General News
30 March, 2026
A century of memories for Rita Rowney
Hopetoun's Rita Rowney celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family, with about 50 relatives gathering in town to honour a life shaped by farming, family and community.
Mrs Rowney marked the milestone at the RNH Hopetoun facility on March 10 before a larger family gathering at the Hopetoun Recreation Reserve over the weekend, where children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren came together to celebrate.
When Hopetoun Courier asked how it felt to reach 100, Mrs Rowney said: “I feel pretty good, really.”
Born in Jeparit in 1926, Mrs Rowney spent her early years in the Warracknabeal district and grew up on the farm.
“I was born in Jeparit, lived in Pepper’s Plains and went to the local school there,” she said.
She remembered a busy childhood on a farm and life in a close-knit rural community.
“I had one sister, one brother,” she said.
“My parents had a wheat farm, and they also had some animals.”
Mrs Rowney left school after Year 8 and later took a job in Warracknabeal.
“I worked in Stirling’s in the clothing factory,” she said.
“I was sewing buttons on the machine for the army.”
Her years in the factory remained among her fondest memories.
“Working in the factory is the best, I think,” she said.
“I liked it there.”
Mrs Rowney married Tom Rowney in 1950 after meeting him at a local dance.
“I met him at a ball one night,” she said.
When asked what made Tom special, Mrs Rowney’s answer was simple.
“Everything, he was a pretty good bloke.”
After they married, the couple bought a farm at Turriff West, where they built their life and raised a family.
“I had four kids,” Mrs Rowney said.
She spent most of her life on the farm, helping raise the children and supporting daily farm life, while also enjoying tennis in her younger days.
“I used to play tennis and watch all kinds of sports,” she said.
"The highlights of my life were working in the factory and becoming a parent.
“One of the lows was losing Tom.”
After Mr Rowney died in 1998, Mrs Rowney moved to Hopetoun, where she stayed active in the community through seniors lunches, social outings, Probus tours and bus trips.
She later moved into the RNH Hopetoun facility in 2018.
Her daughter said she was known for knitting for grandchildren and great-grandchildren, following the Geelong Cats and baking for family and friends.
She said the biggest joy of her birthday celebrations was seeing so many loved ones together.
“So many were there, and it was lovely to see everyone together and spend some time with them,” she said.
“Everybody being there was the best part of my 100th.”
After nearly three decades in Hopetoun, Mrs Rowney said the town had become home.
“Hopetoun is good out here, and I really enjoy being here with everybody at the facility,” she said.
“The staff here is very friendly and helpful.”