111-year-old man crowned Australia's oldest person
A former grazier from the outback Queensland town of Roma has become Australia's oldest man on record.
At 111 years and 124 days old, Dexter Kruger has overtaken World War I veteran Jack Lockett, who died in 2002 aged 111 years and 123 days.
The former veterinary surgeon is also a poet and an author and refuses to retire from his 5,300-hectare cattle property in the Maranoa region until his mid-90s.
He credits his long life to the simple lifestyle he enjoyed in the bush.
"It's because I do things differently," Mr Kruger said from an armchair at his aged care home.
"I lived very close to nature and I ate mostly what I grew in the garden or the orchard or the farm."
Born on January 13, 1910, before telephones or refrigeration, Mr Kruger has lived through world wars, droughts, depressions and pandemics.
He has a strict morning exercise regime and works on his latest book - an autobiography of the century he has spent on Earth.
He also keeps on top of current affairs as he addressed the state of the nation's vaccine rollout and the growing scourge of domestic violence.
"I don't think [today's world] is a nicer place, I do not," Mr Kruger said.
"People are not happy. They have too much debt … We have far too much money to spend on rubbish.
"Until we got all this computerised technology, life was much more relaxed.
"There are marvellous things you can do with a little chip, but we were once very much more relaxed."
A small party will be thrown to mark the milestone event, with the Australian Book of Records and various politicians expected to attend the celebration.
Mr Kruger's 74-year-old son Greg said his father's simple lifestyle and balanced diet, complete with "plenty of salt, sugar and fat", had a lot to do with his age.
"He lived through a period that was a lot less stressful than what society is faced with today," Greg Kruger said.
"He didn't go around chasing the bright lights, he was happy being around horses and cattle.
"His system wasn't worn out trying to process the junk food – he's never been overweight, always active."
Manager at Pinaroo Roma aged care facility Melanie Calvert said Mr Kruger's health was exceptional.
"He's probably one of the sharpest residents here," she said.
"His memory is amazing and his cognitive functioning is unbelievable."
Ms Calvert attributed his age to a combination of factors, including genetics, a balanced diet and regular exercise.
But she said what sets him apart is his strength of character.
"He's strong in the face of adversity – he has that positive mental attitude that keeps him going," she said.
"He sets goals to write books, to achieve milestones, and I think that keeps him going.