Who Is the World’s Oldest Blogger? Olive Riley and Other Senior Bloggers

Who is the world’s oldest blogger? We asked that question back in 2006, when blogging was exploding and people of every age, from kids to senior citizens, were writing about their lives online. Here is what I found then, who ended up holding the title, and what the story tells us about blogging at any age.

Quick answer: The best-known “world’s oldest blogger” was Olive Riley of Australia, who started her blog The Life of Riley in February 2007 at age 107 and died in July 2008 at 108. Before her, the title was claimed by older bloggers such as Canadian broadcaster Donald Crowdis, who blogged in his 90s. Today there is no official record keeper for this title, so treat any new claim with care.

How I went looking for the oldest blogger in 2006

Out of curiosity I searched around and found several bloggers in their 80s, like Millie Garfield of My Mom’s Blog, and many more senior bloggers listed by projects that tracked older people online.

The most popular oldest blogger at the time was Donald Crowdis, then in his early 90s. He created the CBC science program The Nature of Things and was one of its early hosts. His blog, Don To Earth, described itself as a nonagenarian pondering life, the universe and aging. Even Boing Boing pointed to him.

Then I found an even older blogger: Allan Lööf from Sweden, 94 at the time, whose blog said that any blogger older than him had not made contact yet. I asked readers to tell us if they knew anyone older.

Olive Riley: the world’s oldest blogger

Soon after, a new name took the title. Olive Riley was born in Broken Hill, Australia, in October 1899. In February 2007, at 107, she started The Life of Riley. Because her eyesight was poor, documentary filmmaker Michael Rubbo set up the blog and recorded her stories, first as audio and then as video, with help from journalist Eric Shackle.

Her posts covered a life that spanned two world wars and the Great Depression, her work as a barmaid and raising three children. She died in July 2008 at the age of 108, and news sites around the world reported that the world’s oldest blogger had signed off.

Was she really the oldest?

Probably not by a few months. Ruth Hamilton of Florida, who lived to 109, was also active online through a social site for older people, and some later reports named her as older. Because nobody officially tracks blogger ages, the “oldest blogger” title was always informal.

What happened to these blogs

Donald Crowdis wrote Don To Earth from 2005 to 2008 and died in 2011 at age 97. Olive Riley’s blog stopped with her death in 2008. Many early senior blogs have gone quiet since, but their stories show how a blog can become a family record.

Blogging at any age in 2026

• Start simple. A free blog on a hosted platform is enough to share stories, photos and memories.
• Get help with the tech. Like Olive Riley, older writers can record stories by voice or video and let a family member post them.
• Write for family first. Memories of how life used to be are valuable to grandchildren, even if the audience is small.
• Use good images. Old family photos work well; for other pictures use free stock photo sites.

At the other end of the scale, we also asked who is the youngest blogger.

FAQ

Who is the world’s oldest blogger?

The most famous was Olive Riley of Australia, who blogged from age 107 until her death at 108 in 2008.

What was Olive Riley’s blog called?

Her blog was called The Life of Riley. It was set up and run with the help of filmmaker Michael Rubbo.

Who was Donald Crowdis?

A Canadian broadcaster who created The Nature of Things for CBC and wrote the blog Don To Earth in his 90s. He died in 2011 at 97.

Is there an official oldest blogger record?

No official body tracks it, so the title has always been based on news reports and blog claims.