A former principal of Tonga's Queen Salote College, Dilys Rowlands, celebrated her 97th birthday on January 18, in the company of Tonga's Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho in Melbourne, Australia.

HM Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho and several Queen Salote College old girls, travelled to Australia to honour Dilys at a function held at the Andrew Kerr Memorial Home in Mornington, Victoria, where Dilys now lives.

Siupeli Taliai and Howard Secomb (both former Principals of Tupou College) took the service, followed by presentations to the Queen and to Dilys.

The historian, Elizabeth Wood-Ellem, who attended the event, reported that Sela Na'a Latu wrote a song, which a group sang for Dilys, and the old girls also sang the college song, which Dilys had written many years ago.

"The Queen and Dilys had been very close friends when Dilys was in Tonga. As the Principal of Queen Salote College from 1945-68. Dilys was also very close to Queen Salote (only Queen Salote and Dilys could be addressed as Ta'ahine in those days). Dilys was vice-president of the Langa Fonua after the Queen founded it in 1954, and she worked with the Queen on all sorts of church things, such as Bible Studies and the Women's World Day of Prayer," Elizabeth said.

HM Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho gave two oyster shells with pearls, mounted and in a frame to the Home. The old girls also gave gifts to residents of the Home and Tongan bags to the missionaries who attended. One of the bags was given to Dilys's oldest friend, Elsie Webster. They have been friends for 91 years, and Elsie is three months older than Dilys.