Olive Riley, an Australian woman believed to be the world’s oldest blogger, died at the age of 108 on 12 July, 2008.

She began blogging in February 2007 after it was suggested by one of her friends, Mike Rubbo, who also offered to type her entries for her. Mr. Rubbo, a documentary film-maker, had featured her in a short film in 2005 called All About Olive.

The blog was intended as a continuation of the film. After her death the internet blogging site crashed due to so many people trying to log on to pay their respects and condolences.

Her blog, called The Life of Riley, became a worldwide success, with readers from all over the globe logging on to read stories and reminiscences about her life. She had many stories to tell as a survivor of two world wars, the Great Depression and a witness to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.

She posted more than 70 entries on her blog and as she became more confident with the many forms of digital publishing, began posting videos of herself singing and talking on YouTube.

Her final post appeared on 26 June, 2008, when she wrote about moving into a nursing home because of her deteriorating health. She wrote: "I still feel weak and can’t shake off that bad cough." She also described singing a happy song and how happy she was to have had a visitor.

Despite her worsening condition, she described her nursing home with great affection. She wrote: "I've never been treated so well in all my life. The nurses can't do enough for me. Ask them for anything, and they are only too happy to provide it."

Ms Riley was born in Broken Hill, a mining town in the Australian outback, on 20 October 1899 – the year Marconi sent the first wireless radio signal across the English Channel. She led a rich and varied life which was added to in her final years by her new pastime. She raised three children, worked as a cook in the Australian outback and a barmaid in Sydney.

Her blog received rave reviews and was nominated for a Blogger’s Choice award in 2007. Her grandson Darren Stone said she loved the attention she received for her blogs. He said: "She enjoyed the notoriety – it kept her mind fresh. What kept her going was the memories she had, and being able to recall those memories so strongly."

One of her friends, Eric Shackle, said: "She will be mourned by thousands of Internet friends and hundreds of descendants and other relatives."

She died peacefully at her nursing home in the New South Wales town of Woy Woy.