The Nowra couple celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, February 21.

The pair met in their early 20s while living in the same boarding house at Moss Vale. Their first date saw them enjoy a movie with others from the boarding house. 

“I thought she was a nice girl and we got to know each other well living in the same boarding house,” Colin said. 

The young couple later tied the knot  in 1953 at the catholic church in Bowral when Edna was 22 and Colin was 23. 

Colin was the district dairy officer in Moss Vale at the time, while Edna working in the retail industry in Bowral. 

The pair moved to Colin’s hometown of Taree where Colin continued his work in the dairy industry. 

They welcomed their first daughter, Lynda Anne in 1955, and their second daughter, Merrin, in 1959. 

The family spent 10 years in Taree where Colin threw himself into “every sport you can imagine”. 

“I had a go at everything,” Colin said. 

“I’ve been reasonably successful. When I was in Taree I was in the Black Head Surf Life Saving Club and we won the North Coast Championships. We went on to compete in the Australian Championships at Bondi and we got fourth place.”

Colin also played rugby league for Taree Browns Creek, refereed rugby league and was the president of the Rugby League Refereeing Association. 

While Colin shone on the field, Edna played a strong supporting role. 

“I followed him around and washed all his dirty gear,” she laughed. 

“I used to go and watch on the sideline with the children.” 

After 10 years in Taree, Colin was transferred to Nowra in 1960 where he became the special officer in charge of solids not fat in milk.

He continued that role for three years before he was promoted to the western region at Wagga Wagga in charge of the Riverina district. 

He was at the forefront of dealing with Victorian milk coming into New South Wales and was later transferred to Wollongong in 1980 where he was in charge of the southern division of the state. 

Colin then became the regional director of both southern and western New South Wales.

After travelling back and forth from Wollongong to Nowra every day for six years, the couple eventually moved to Nowra and Colin later retired in the late 1980s. 

They threw themselves into their various interests and clocked up many holidays together. 

“I’ve always enjoyed knitting and sewing and we both played bowls for Nowra Bowling Club,” Edna said. 

Colin, now aged 88, was the president of the Nowra Show Society, the Nowra Bowling Club and took on a seven year stint as president of the Shoalhaven Poultry Club. 

They’ve enjoyed five cruises, travelled all over Australia together and had many overseas holidays but said Nowra will always be their top spot. 

“We always come back here,” Edna, 87, said. 

“We decided to settle here because the family is here and we realise we’ve seen all there is to see.” 

The pair live at Manning House in Nowra, where Colin collects and distributes 30 copies of the Shoalhaven and Nowra News to other residents every week, and enjoy spending time with their three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. 

After celebrating their anniversary with a special lunch at the Postman’s Tavern, the couple reflected on their secret to a successful marriage. 

“Communication and sharing everything is key,” Colin said. 

“I agree – we’ve never had a fight,” Edna said.