Caption: Stawell's Noel and Diane Raeburn receive a bouquet of flowers from Northern Grampians Shire mayor – and their daughter – Karen Hyslop, to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.
A case of mistaken identity provided the meet cute for a Stawell couple who last month celebrated sixty years of marriage.
Noel and Diane Raeburn, née Morgan, met at a progressive dance in Ararat when Noel was 20 and Diane, 16.
"I worked at Ararat Gas Company at the time, which sold bottled gas, and I thought the guy I was talking to at the dance was the same man I'd met earlier that day," Diane said.
"I asked him, 'Did you get your bottles?', but he had no idea what I was talking about. We continued to chat anyway and enjoyed the dance together."
Love soon blossomed and the pair married in Ararat on February 27, 1965.
They have two children, Northern Grampians Shire mayor Karen Hyslop, and a son, Gary, who followed in his father's footsteps.
Noel was a local builder for more than 40 years and at one stage, managed a team of 15.
Noel said he would have built between 200 and 300 houses in the region throughout his career and also built the original Central Park facilities.
He said he 'used to lift the stuff they get cranes to lift these days' and although the industry was tough when he was in his prime – with extensive manual labour and long hours – it provided a great life for his family.
Gary – who is still a builder today – completed his apprenticeship under Noel, which Diane described as an 'interesting' time.
The Raeburns are community focused and have dedicated plenty of time volunteering for clubs and organisations throughout the years.
Among the highlights for Noel was a trip to Papua New Guinea through his connection with Rotary, where he helped build a school for trainee builders.
Noel also built a camp at Lake Fyans for the local Scouts.
The Raeburns were also heavily involved in local football. Noel was a talented footballer and was scouted by Victorian Football League club Essendon.
"But I couldn't go to Melbourne, not with the business and a young family back here," he said.
Noel played football for Stawell, as well as Great Western, where he coached the senior side for three seasons, from 1968 to 1970.
While a premiership eluded him, Noel and Diane made a bigger contribution – opening up the club for women to enjoy.
"Diane actually helped the club build its first kitchen and started offering afternoon teas on game days," Noel said.
"It was very much a man's sport back then, but sport is for everyone, so Diane helped make it so."
Noel and Diane enjoy spending time with their five grandchildren and heading up north in their caravan to escape Victorian winters.
Diane said the couple had seen plenty of the harsh Australian countryside, including towns such as Lightning Ridge and Emerald.
"I love for my bones to be warm these days," she said.
When asked if there was a secret to a successful marriage, Diane said it came down to 'give and take'.
"Sometimes one of us took a little more than they gave, but it's a balance," she said.
"A good marriage takes a lot of patience."
Noel joked, "I think it's safer if nothing's said from over here."
Obviously, a little bit of humour and a solid friendship go a long way.
Mayor Karen Hyslop delighted in delivering flowers to her parents on their special day, on behalf of the council.
"This was a moment of pride for me as mayor and I was thrilled to honour their commitment to each other during such an amazing milestone," she said.
Her parents also brimmed with pride.
"We are incredibly proud to see Karen in the mayor's seat – she's worked very hard to get here," Diane said.
