The wisdom of age: Dr Mavourna Collits shares her thoughts on International Women's Day

And on International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8 she says she has learnt many lessons about being a woman.

The biggest?

"One should not try and please everyone or live up to parental and societal expectations if they don't fit your own wishes, abilities or interests," she said.

"I have also learnt that when one door closes inevitably another opens, often in the most unexpected ways, as long as you keep an open mind and are prepared to take risks."

Dr Collits said getting to know yourself can take a lifetime but advises "don't worry about the mistakes you makes because you can learn from them and they often lead to better outcomes than you ever dreamed of".

She grew up during an interesting time.

By her own admission she was a "war baby" who grew up with "Bing Crosby, ballroom, dancing and formal dressing".

She said there were no expectations of her unlike her brothers who were always expected to go to university and take up a professional life.

"My lot seemed to be to get married and be a stay-at-home mum like my mother," she said.

Instead she completed university studies at PhD level and spent her working life first as a secondary school history teacher and then working at universities where she had a successful career.

She met her beloved husband Jim when she was a university student and he was a lecturer.

The connection she describes as "instant".

It was a happy partnership which worked well because they "shared a lot of intellectual interests and shared experiences" although at times they lived apart due to their careers.

"My life partner was a real gift and came into my life when I was at the crossroads of giving in to family and societal pressures and settling for a life that I know I would have been a failure at," she said.

"Our love and companionship meant the world to me as he remained always supportive of me whatever I was engaged in, and we developed a partnership that worked beautifully on all levels of our lives."

She advises younger women to "relax and believe in yourself " when it comes to finding a life partner.

"If you believe in yourself you can just be yourself when you meet new people and then they just see you," she said.

She said people - including family and friends - often tried to put her in a box.

Her decision not to have children was often questioned.

"Why don't you have kids? Or you have no kids so you can do the nasty jobs that take you away from Campus and involve failing a student on Practice Teaching," she said.

"The good side of this is that it made me strong and determined to be as good at my craft as possible, and that led to personal and professional success, although often feeling battle -scarred."

She describes losing her husband Jim a couple of years ago as "heartbreaking".

"You never get closure," she said.

Dr Collits and her husband were in the midst of writing a book on the Great Barrier Reef when he died.

"I coped with his death because the book wasn't finished and I had promised that I would finish it and take it to publication which I did," she said.

She still talks to Jim and his hat is still hanging by the door.

"I haven't had the heart to move it," she said

Now in her seventies she has tried to slow down. But as the president of the Port Macquarie Arts and Crafts Centre it is not easy.

What does her life involve being a woman in her seventies?

"Slowing down and acknowledging that your body may not be as strong as your spirit," she said.

"Making new friends with whom you share real joy and many good laughs as well giving you support when you need it, and knowing when to give it."

Most of all "not living by the alarm clock".

"Having time to read and do all those things you wanted to do when you were younger but had no time to do!"

Her advice for young women?

"Don't be overwhelmed by all the choices everyone else feels you have," she said.

"Follow your heart. And seek out people who truly have your best interests at heart."