“We celebrated with family and friends at the golf club’s Chinese restaurant, followed by tea and coffee at Mary and Rodney Ireland’s beautiful cosy warm woodfire home, with a delicious anniversary cake given to us by Amanda and Laurie Battle, at Two Fat Bakers, Tea Gardens,” Susan told NOTA.

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When asked how to make it to 50 years of marriage, Susan’s answer was simple: “Just fun, kids, having everyone, a strong community.”

Susan, the seventh of seven siblings, and Ned, the second of eight, were born and raised in Bulahdelah, and have known each other since school.

“Legend has it that Kelvin (Ned) was heard saying to my dad, Shorty, at the bar of the Plough Inn Hotel, ‘I’m going to marry your daughter, Shorty!!’ – never did find out what Dad’s response was!”

Two weeks later, the Battles were joined by an ever-growing host of friends and family outside Café Main on Stroud Street, on what happened to be a perfect day for Susan’s 70th birthday, overlooking the mountain she grew up playing upon.

Her father, ‘Shorty’, worked in the forestry industry, and Susan recalled playing around the old Mountain Park until her father’s whistle pierced the evening air to call them all home.

“If you weren’t on the mountain, you were in the river, always something to do growing up in Bulahdelah,” Susan reminisced.

“I’ve definitely got alum powder in my veins… just don’t get it on your tongue.”

Sharper than ever at 70, Susan can still name all the places she played as a child, the route she walked to school or to the Lakes, even where she learnt to skip, as well as picking vegetables from her dad’s massive garden.

Their son, Scott, orchestrated a surprise visit, coming all the way from Tumbarumba for Susan’s birthday, even pretending to be unavailable en route, while their other son, Chris, sent wishes and love from all the way over in Port Hedland.

The ‘Belle of Bulahdelah’, Susan could greet and name practically everyone passing by the Café Main on her birthday, and was just as smitten with her husband Ned on her special day as they were way back in 1974.

By Thomas O’KEEFE