Nambour grandma stars in boxing documentary

At 71, Lyn Mills recently became Australia’s oldest female amateur boxer. And now, the Nambour local is the subject of an inspiring new documentary that’s winning awards and hearts across the country.

Many Nambour locals know Lyn as the friendly face behind the counter at Bloomhill Op Shop but, after-hours, she’s trading hangers for hand wraps and stepping into the boxing ring.

“I started boxing in 2019, mainly for exercise,” Ms Mills said. “After a while, I wanted to step into the ring, but my age was against me.”

She defied those limits in 2022 with an exhibition match at the Pan Pacific Masters Games. Then in mid-2023, her coach brought news of a 63-year-old opponent in Melbourne, an opportunity Ms Mills trained hard for. But it was a phone call from her granddaughter that took her story to the next level. “My granddaughter Keisha called me asking if it was true I would be boxing in Melbourne,” she said. “She said her friend Jess makes documentaries and would like to do one about me and boxing. That’s how it all started.”

The resulting film, The Oldest Heart – named for her gym, Oneheart in Nambour – has since won Best Documentary at the Australian Women’s Film Festival in Sydney and is now touring festivals across the country, including screenings in Darwin, Alice Springs, Canberra and Gympie (October 10 and 12).

After her Melbourne match, Ms Mills officially became Australia’s oldest female amateur boxer, a title she holds with pride.

“I still work full-time and every day I have people telling me what they can’t do because of their age,” she said. “When you get to a certain age, everybody thinks life has passed them by … but it hasn’t, it’s still there to grab. It’s still there to enjoy and go out and do something constructive.”

From two sit-ups to 100, and now 5km runs between training sessions, her journey is a  testament to hard work. The film has been short listed for best documentary at the Gympie Heart of Gold Film Festival.

Lyn Mills: “When you get to a certain age, everybody thinks life has passed them by … but it hasn’t, it’s still there to grab. It’s still there to enjoy and go out and do something constructive.”

Lyn trains with Nambour coach Charlie Wetere.