Towards a history of old age in Australia

This paper is offered as an addition to the small existing body of research on the history of old age in Australia. It considers the experiences of a cohort of early settlers in a Victorian country district as they grew old in their community. It finds that while the experience and even the definition of old age varied with class, gender and circumstance, most ageing people in the Colac area remained more engaged with both the community and family than more general studies have suggested.