Soldiers' surprise backyard makeover leaves 90yo 'stunned'

Great-great-grandmother Vera Walker loves her revitalised garden. ( ABC Capricornia: Katrina Beavan )

When more than 20 uniformed soldiers knocked on 90-year-old Vera Walker's door at seven o'clock on a weekday morning, she was "absolutely stunned".

"It was an eye-opener and a gob-opener too," the great-great-grandmother said.

Skip bin in tow, the soldiers parked their trucks on her quiet Gladstone street, began directing traffic and got to work cleaning up Ms Walker's backyard.

Vera Walker has now hired a gardener to help maintain the garden, which has more space and new flowers. ( ABC Capricornia: Katrina Beavan )

Ms Walker had been unsuccessfully trying for years to get quotes to have her overgrown yard brought under control.

"I'd had so many knockbacks from businesses … they'll come and give you a quote, but when you ask them for a written one, they don't want to know you," she said.

Unbeknownst to Ms Walker, an advocate with the charity Legacy had nominated her for the Backyard Assist program.

Copyright for this text belongs to ABC Australia.