His granddaughter, Karen Britt of Woolooware, said his life had been full of positive thoughts, and a fair attitude towards everything.

"He was a hard worker, with a strong faith, and very good in terms of keeping in touch with family and friends,'' she said.

Born in 1909 at Kogarah, Tony "Sully'' Sullivan grew up at Arncliffe and attended Marist College.

In 1936, after a stint labouring in Queensland, he married Edna Rose Hayes at St Patrick's Cathedral, Toowoomba. They returned to Sydney to raise their sons, Bob and John.

A bricklayer, Mr Sullivan had 25 men working for him to help construct landmarks such as St Aloysius Catholic Church at Cronulla, St Francis De Sales Primary School (which his grandchildren attended years later) and the Cecil Hotel.

He held the Australasian record for motorcycle acceleration for more than 20 years. Mr Sullivan and his wife retired to Queensland in the 1960s to farm, settling in Toowoomba.

However, he kept up his shire ties by buying a Cronulla unit to visit regularly.

His grandson-in-law, Rob Britt, said: "He would get up to go to Mass at St Aloysius at 7am, seven days a week, then catch the train into town to look at car shows and car rooms, and then go to Northies at 4pm.''

Mr Sullivan celebrated his 100th birthday on January 7 in Queensland.