HALLS GAP - Halls Gap's oldest resident, Emma Watson, celebrated her one hundredth birthday with friends and family at the Halls Gap Recreation Pavilion.
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Emma Watson was born to William and Emma Bowtell at Marnoo on February 13, 1914.
In 1917 the family moved to 'Peep-O-Day' on the Pomonal Road.
In 1935 Emma married WW1 veteran John Watson.
Except for the period 1937-1945, when John was the Ranger at Mount Buffalo, Emma has lived in Halls Gap all her life.
Emma is the embodiment of early European settlement in Australia starting with her g'g'g'grandmother with the First Fleet in 1788 and subsequent English and Irish immigrants arriving up until the 1860s with most of them settling in the Wimmera district centred around Stawell.
Present at the celebration were her daughters Mae, Jacqueline, Elvire and Marie, a fourth daughter, Yvonne is deceased, 18 of her 19 grandchildren from as far afield as USA, Singapore, Western Australia and New South Wales, along with 20 of 23 great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.
Her two younger sisters Rose and Doreen and her brother Henry, joined with cousins, nieces and nephews to recognise the contribution of a good life.