Neville Russell, 81, and his wife Colleen, 78, met in 1952 when Neville was in the National Service so was catching the train back to Cessnock from Sydney, and Colleen worked in Sydney but was travelling to Cessnock to visit her parents.

They wed on November 19, 1955 in the Cessnock Church of England in Westcott Street and held their reception at the Cessnock Co-op Store.

Their honeymoon was a one-night stay at People’s Palace in Newcastle – Neville recalls driving a 1936 Chevy down for the celebration.

Neville worked in the local mines, including Aberdare Shaft, North Tunnel, and Armstrong and Royce as a shuttle car driver, belthand, and first aid officer while Colleen worked at a dry cleaner in Vincent Street.

They have five daughters, 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren and have lived all over Cessnock, starting their lives together in a garage that was converted into two bedrooms in Church Street, before moving on to Hickey Street, Hunter Avenue and Burnett Street, before finding their current home in Allan Street, Aberdare.

Neville credits the longevity of their relationship to just sticking it out no matter what, and says 60 years of marriage is a pretty good achievement, as some people aren’t even lucky enough to live to age 60.

They have received commemorative messages from the Queen, Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, members of parliament and the local council for achieving the milestone.