‘Before I Turn 100’ is a community arts project that celebrates life at every age – from the dreams we hold for the future to the wisdom gained over a lifetime.
Inspired by artist Candy Chang’s global Before I Die project, it invited our community to pause, reflect and share their aspirations.
In November 2025, interactive chalk walls were set up across Boroondara, prompting residents to complete the sentence:
‘Before I turn 100, I want to…’
Families, friends and community members shared their hopes and dreams, transforming our public spaces into expressions of hope and reflection.
In May 2026, these stories formed an exhibition at Hawthorn Arts Centre delivered in partnership with the National Communication Museum (NCM) and The 100 Project.
The exhibition combined hundreds of community responses with the lived experiences of 6 Boroondara centenarians, offering an intergenerational perspective on what matters most.
6 key themes emerged:
- Career, prosperity and achievement
- Family and relationships
- Health, wellbeing and longevity
- Home and lifestyle
- Meaning, community and social impact
- Travel, adventure and sport
Meet our Boroondara centenarians
At the heart of the project were 6 Boroondara residents, aged 100 years and over. Each story reflects one of the exhibition’s themes and offers insight shaped by a lifetime of experience.
Thank you to everyone who took part in this community arts project.
Celebrating our centenarians
Each year we host a high tea to recognise and celebrate the contributions Boroondara’s centenarians have made and continue to make to our community.
If you know someone aged 100 years or over, we would love to hear from you so we can invite them to our annual high tea event.
Contact our Active Ageing team via email at [email protected] or phone (03) 9278 4777.
Before contacting us
If you are contacting us on behalf of a centenarian, please ensure you have their consent to share their name, age and postal address so we can send them an invitation. The Centenarian High Tea is held annually in April or May.
