Rivers running through since ’77

He is rallying old classmates - he’s already signed 55 and counting - and wants them to reconnect where it all began for their 50-year school reunion.

The reunion got legs when Darryl and old school chum Craig Rosendale, who have stayed in touch over the years had an academic (albeit long distance) epihpany.

Darryl now lives in Melbourne and Craig has moved back to Echuca but they both thought the reunion was a great excuse to get back together.

Craig said they became mates on day one at school - he simply held up his hand in homeroom and offered a spare seat, sparking a friendship which has lasted a lifetime.

Smaller reunions have happened through the years ― of about 25 people ― but the 50-year anniversary has prompted the boys to go bang on a grand scale.

And it will have to be grand, because those students from all those years ago are now scattered around the globe.

“It's been quite a rich experience seeing what people have done, where they've ended up, and the families and careers they've built,” Darryl said.

For those who started in 1977, the memories of Echuca High are vivid ― it was an era of major cultural shifts in an evolving town.

"It was a big culture shock to go from being the largest kid in primary school to being the smallest kid at high school," Darryl said.

The dress code at school — teachers included — was decidedly traditional and strict, the kind which made you pull your shoulders back without being asked.

Comfort was not a question ― students were outfitted in long pants, collared shirts, ties, and school blazers — before evolving into windcheaters and round-neck shirts.

And enforcing the outfits were an ensemble of oddball teachers — one who wore shorts all year round no matter the weather or occasion, or a strict German who ruled the classroom with an iron fist.

And outside the classroom, pop culture was expanding rapidly, leaving a lasting mark on the students.

The drive-in theatre — now long gone as well — was the epitome of local happenings, showing the first Star Wars movie to Breaking Glass to Saturday Night Fever.

The cohort also had front-row seats to local history, watching the hugely successful All the Rivers Run show being filmed as Echuca was dressed up as a historic backdrop and conversations at school revolved around sightings of Sigrid Thornton or John Waters.

And of course the town itself changed, with Darryl mentioning walking on the new bridge at a previous reunion, and now looking upon the spot where the old water tower stood.

“That's going to freak everyone out,” he laughed.

The reunion group is also using this milestone to celebrate the ‘local heroes’ who stayed behind or returned to build the community ― such as Gary Davey, who is a long-time volunteer with the CFA, who has dedicated decades to local safety.

Darryl acknowledges some former students might feel hesitant about reaching out after so many decades, perhaps remembering the typical social cliques of high school.

However, past smaller reunions have proved time changes everything.

"That all seems to have washed away," he said.

"People are comfortable in their own skin now and just so happy to come along, tell their own story, and hear other people's stories. It has been such a warm experience."

Finding everyone has its challenges ― out of an original 100 to 125 students spread across five classes, the reunion's dedicated Facebook group has already successfully reconnected 55 members.

“Some people aren't easy to find because they've got their own lives, and they've moved in different directions,” Darryl said.

“But it would still be nice to at least hear from them, even if they aren't able to come.”

Darryl spoke on the reconnection with people, and how those years shape you.

"Your classmates are the cast of your own story," he said.

"It's a really lovely thing to look back on."