The magic of a humble hall cannot be underestimated.
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Barbara (née Anderson) and Lindsay Vagg met at a dance at Bunnaloo Hall in 1954, and next week will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary.
Decades of marriage, children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren later, the couple look back on those nights with fondness.
“We associated at the dances and I knew her from that,” Lindsay said.
“I thought she’d been pretty good company for me.”
Barbara’s father announced her engagement to Lindsay at her 21st birthday in December 1954.
In 1955 Barbara and Lindsay married, on Saturday, October 8 at the former St Andrew’s Church, now Echuca-Moama Uniting Church.
They soon headed north on a memorable honeymoon.
“We took our car to the Blue Mountains, we stayed at the Hydro Majestic for a week,” Barbara said.
“Then we went to Sydney for a few days ... we went to events in the city, and then we came down through Canberra and back home.”
The couple built a home, Karingal, themselves on land in Bunnaloo, and soon two became three, four and five.
Carolyn, their first daughter, was born in 1957, followed by their second daughter, Mandy, in 1960 and their son, Russell, in 1963.
“It was great to have children ... we both love them all,” Lindsay said.
“To bring up children on a farm was a fantastic life because they had horses and motorbikes.
“They had kangaroos, pet sheep, pet ducks, they even had two cats and one of the cats used to purr a lot, so I called it Diesel.”
The couple contributed greatly to Bunnaloo and the district, helping to establish a community centre.
Barbara served as president of the ladies’ committee, and Lindsay the secretary of the management committee.
“The whole district pulled together and raised funds to build that community centre,” Lindsay said.
“The only help that we had from government finance was $30,000 from the Murray Shire, and the rest of it was raised locally.
“It was something we were both so very proud of.”
After years of fundraising, the centre was opened by former NSW Member for Murray Tim Fischer in 1982.
Mr Fischer, who went on to become deputy prime minister, quickly made himself acquainted with the Vaggs.
“We said, ‘oh, come and stay with us’, so he stayed the whole night,” Barbara said.
“My daughter took him to our place ... when we got back, he was out in his pyjamas and had a coffee.
“He was a friend; if he was in the district, he would call or knock on the door.”
Lindsay’s role in the rice industry took the pair far and wide, including on holidays around the world.
“SunRice organised trips overseas,” Lindsay said.
“We went to America, we went to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan.
“Then when we retired, we had a world trip.”
The couple’s world tour transported them around Europe and back to North America.
Over the Pacific, in the United States, is also where a long-time friend of Barbara’s lives.
Leona became Barbara’s pen-friend at the age of just 12, and the two have remained connected ever since.
“We were still just the best of friends,” she said.
“I’ve been over there a couple of times ... she’s coming back (to visit) in January.”
Looking back at their many memories, the couple highlighted their compatibility as a key force in their love.
“Our company,” Barbara said.
“We hardly ever argue, we get along really well.
“We help each other, whatever we have to do.”
They continue to spend time with their ever-growing family, with nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren spread across Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane, Bendigo and the Mornington Peninsula.
“We’re very close,” Barbara said.
“We do see all of them as much as we can.”