FOR Whitsunday VMR life member Tom Manning - sitting idle in retirement is the last thing on his mind.

Having reached the 80th birthday milestone, no-one could accuse him of leading an uneventful life.

Throughout his lifetime Tom has lived in a range of countries such as India, China and Indonesia.

Since moving to Airlie Beach in 1991, he became a highly respected presence in the area.

Last year, he was presented with the Senior Citizen of the Year award, recognising over 300 search and rescue missions recorded since his retirement.

Well known for his work keeping a weather eye on the horizon, staying active remains a high priority.

"VMR has taken me full time, in my working life I worked 12 hours a day,” he said.

"I just like doing things - if I wasn't doing this I would be doing something else. It is better than twiddling your thumbs.”

Tom regards the "good bunch of people here” and sailing as the highlights of the Whitsunday region.

Despite leading a genuinely fulfilling life, he hasn't ruled out any future endeavours.

"I have lived in a lot of different places and have been here since the nineties,” he said.

"Maybe next year I might decide to go somewhere else, it depends on my health.”

Tom turned 80 on November 5.

Tom's children and grandchildren from Mackay came up to celebrate the occasion.