Dianne Casley-Smith has been named Telstra's first ever "Tech Savvy Senior".
Winning Telstra's Retired & Wired Campaign, which set out to find the tech savviest retiree in Australia which was launch in May, Ms Casley-Smith, 67, from Sandstone Point, near Bribie Island in Queensland, beat more than 600 entries to take out the title.
"These technology adaptors have experienced around six decades of change when you consider the introduction of new technologies such as television, computers, mobiles and the internet," Telstra's Rebekah O'Flaherty said.
To win the title she had to demonstrate skill in mobile communications, blogging, social media and video conferencing.
But she said it was the mobile phone that inspired her interest in technology when she ran her own business 20 years ago and couldn't get away to do anything, "not even go to the toilet".
Judges of the competition, Nan Bosler, president of the Australian Seniors Computers Association, and Peter Blasina, the Gadget Guy, were impressed by the quality of the entrants.
"I was really happy to see so many entries from people in their sixties to their nineties who are using a wide range of technology to stay connected," Ms Bosler said in a statement.
"Dianne's entry was a real stand-out and we are excited to announce her as the national winner."
The campaign was launched after a survey by Telstra discovered one in three Australians 65 and older were going online every day and more than a third were using online banking. (Like we didnt know!)
Ms Casley-Smith was chosen from a group of six finalists who completed a series of challenges. She will receive $10,000 in cash and prizes, as well as an ambassador role with Telstra.
