Self-confessed daredevil Sam Westwood has celebrated turning 100 by hurtling himself out of a plane from 15,000 feet (4,570 metres).
The local celebrity from Trunkey Creek near Bathurst in New South Wales has travelled around Australia twice on his own and climbed Uluru two decades ago at the age of 80.
He was posted in Borneo during World War II, worked on the Snowy Hydro Scheme and retired in the lazy town of Trunkey Creek three decades ago, but his adventurous spirit would not be supressed.
His family and friends gathered to watch him tackle the highest tandem skydive offered in Australia at a private airstrip at Trunkey Creek.
Mr Westwood still lives at home with his kelpie cross, Toby, and first skydived after a publican drew out his penchant for risk-taking, poking fun at him when skydiving was being advertised.
"He said to me, 'You wouldn't be game enough to do it'," Mr Westwood said.
"I said, 'You pay for it and I'll do it'."
So on the brink of his 90th birthday, Mr Westwood jumped out of a plane at Bathurst and less than 12 months later he again leaped out of an aeroplane from a private airstrip closer to home at a Trunkey Creek property.
On this second thrill-seeking jump, Mr Westwood skydived with his grandson, whom he said was not inspired enough by the experience to join his grandfather for a subsequent jump.
"He said, 'I'm glad I've done it Pop, but I wouldn't do it again'." Mr Westwood said.
However the same hesitation did not stop Mr Westwood from skydiving again, if anything it fuelled him.
Mr Westwood has promised his family that he will slow down now that he is in the triple figures, and promised his daughter he would not jump out of anymore planes.
"That's my last dive and I wouldn't do it again," he said.
"I'll just live a quiet life from now on and have a beer every now and again."
This is a comment that Mr Westwood's family and community would be suspicious about believing just yet.
