That’s how it’s been for Tamworth residents Bill and Dawn Schubert, who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on August 25.

Dawn was just 12 when they met at school, and Bill two years older, so they’ve known each other for 77 years all up. 

Throughout their lives they’ve agreed on most things “because we’ve been compatible”, Dawn said.

“We liked the same sorts of things. We’d go fishing together, shooting rabbits, bushwalking. It wasn’t as if one of us was going off on our own – we’d do things together.”

They were both born in Arncliffe, Sydney, and their families spent a lot of time together. Dawn was bridesmaid for Bill’s sister when she got married.

After Bill and Dawn tied the knot at the Presbyterian church in Arncliffe on August 25, 1945, they made their home in the suburb where they grew up.

“When I look back, we’ve packed a lot into those 70 years of marriage, but we’ve thoroughly enjoyed it,” Dawn said.

Her husband was in the Royal Australian Navy for 24 years and served in three wars – World War II, Korea and Vietnam – and Bill was given a medal for his involvement in the nuclear testing at Maralinga.

“He used to come backwards and forwards, and at times was away for 18 months, but in those days you coped with it,” Dawn said.

Bill and Dawn had one child, a daughter, and now have two grandchildren, Nicky and Brett, and eight great-grandchildren, six in Newcastle and two in Tamworth. 

When Bill retired at 60, they hooked up the caravan to their four-wheel drive and travelled around Australia for the next 20 years, coming home to Arncliffe every now and then. 

“We had a wonderful time. We went just about everywhere – Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and more,” Dawn said. 

“About the only place we didn’t get to was the Tanami Desert. Every time we tried, it rained.

“We met a lot of lovely people along the way. It’s a big, beautiful country. We’ve got oodles of albums to show our grandchildren and great-grandchildren where we’ve been.”

Dawn and Bill had been coming to Tamworth for 40-odd years as their daughter lived here for a while, but moved on.

“Our grandchildren were here, so we came here in 2005, after we finished travelling, and settled in Tamworth to be near them,” Dawn said. 

They have their own unit at Paradise Tourist Park and enjoy living in Tamworth, with their grandchildren regular visitors to their home.

“Until people started talking about it, we didn’t realise being married for 70 years was such a big thing,” Dawn said. 

Dawn is now 89 and Bill turned 91 on Wednesday.

How sweet are they? Still holding hands after all those years.