26/05/2026
Carinya Honours 103-Year-Old WWII Veteran with a Quilt of Valour
This week we had the privilege of celebrating one of our most cherished residents, Mae Isabel “Topsie” Cairns, who at 103 was presented with a Quilt of Valour in recognition of her service to Australia.
The Quilt of Valour is a symbol of gratitude and comfort for veterans, and Topsie received it with the same humility, grace and quiet strength she’s shown her entire life.
Born in WA in 1923, Topsie volunteered for service at just 18, joining the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force during WWII. She served at No. 4 Service Flying Training School in Geraldton during some of the most uncertain moments of the war, including the period surrounding the Darwin and Broome bombings.
Her work involved confidential administrative and intelligence duties, as well as training in preparation for a possible invasion. She later transferred to medical administration at the newly established Repatriation Hospital in Hollywood, supporting injured servicemen returning from Europe long before PTSD was understood. She was promoted to Sergeant during her service.
After the war, a visit to family in Jeetho changed her life — it was there she met her first husband, Keith Parry, and began her long connection to South Gippsland. She went on to raise a family, become a talented lawn bowler at the Korumburra Bowling Club, and eventually make Carinya her home for almost two decades.
This special honour was made possible thanks to Cheryl Billing‑Smith, who nominated Topsie. While the original presenters from Quilts of Valour Australia were unable to attend due to COVID exposure, Cheryl proudly presented the handcrafted quilt on their behalf. The quilt was lovingly created by Eileen Nash of Waverley Patchworkers.
We were also pleased to welcome representatives from the Korumburra RSL, along with Topsie’s grandson Ed, residents, staff and community members.
At Carinya, we are privileged to know Topsie not just as a veteran, but as a remarkable woman whose life reflects courage, resilience and humility.
Some lives deserve to be celebrated loudly — and Topsie’s certainly is.