The Nowra resident won her very first prize for an entry in an agricultural show when she was 10 years old, and at 80 she is still bringing home the wins.

“My mum taught me how to sew and draw,” she recalled.

“When I was 10 I was making petticoats and underwear for my two younger sisters.”

But it was her drawing of a cooking pot that saw her win first prize in the Mudgee Show 70 years ago, a drawing she still has today.

Over the years her love of art and craft has grown and she has continued to enter pieces of her work in various agricultural shows.

Most recently she not only received a first prize and a highly commended at Kiama Show, but her success has continued to Berry and Nowra.

And now she has her sights set on Kangaroo Valley.

“I won two first prizes, a second prize and a champion at Berry Show,” she said.

“At Nowra Show I won two firsts and a champion.”

Her wins were for a number of items including several cream, woollen, intricately knitted jumpers, and it was in fact the first time she had done so well in the local shows.

Ms Durant has lived in Shoalhaven for many years and worked at Shoalhaven Hospital for 30 of them.

She retired when she was 60 and her love of craft has continued to grow.

“If I find a pattern that is more challenging, then I’ll do it,” she said.

“It keeps my mind occupied.”

It is not just spinning and knitting that keeps her busy these days. Ms Durant also does leatherwork, cake decorating, pressing flowers and makes her own silk, just to name a few of her hobbies.

All of the wool she uses in her knitting she spins herself, and she teaches leatherwork voluntarily at Culburra Beach Public School.

Despite all her experience Ms Durant said it was still a thrill to win at the local shows.