Australia's oldest man Dexter Kruger has passed away peacefully, aged 111.
The former outback grazier and veterinary surgeon, who celebrated the milestone in May, died on Tuesday at an aged facility in Roma, Queensland, after a brief illness.
"As you can imagine, we are all mourning his loss and our home won't be the same without him," manager Melanie Calvert said.
Mr Kruger, who was born on January 13, 1910, was also a poet and an author.
He spent his life on the land, refusing to retire from his 5,300-hectare cattle property in the Maranoa region until his mid-90s.
At 111 years and 188 days old, Mr Kruger in May overtook World War I veteran Jack Lockett, who died in 2002 aged 111 years and 123 days.
Mr Kruger put down much of his longevity to the simple lifestyle he enjoyed in the bush.
When he spoke to the ABC in May, after his birthday, he said he owed his long life to doing things "differently".
Mr Kruger's only advice for others seeking a long life was to simply "eat good food".
"People do eat too much," he said. "They eat themselves into the grave.
"Take it a day at a time and make the best of it."
Tributes for Dexter
The federal Member for Maranoa, David Littleproud, whose electorate takes in Roma, said he was deeply saddened to hear about Mr Kruger's death.
"I actually had a feeling he had a lot more in him, a lot more records to be broken, but not to be," Mr Littleproud said.
"He touched so many lives in a positive way along his long journey. You've got to say that's something that we're better for, not to say that he won't be missed."
Mr Littleproud said Mr Kruger had been a living legend in Roma.
"And I think that's why there was an aura about him … the cheeky manner he had and the way that he was revered by anyone that met him.
"He was a great Australian."
