Northern Grampians Shire Councillor, Murray Emerson visited the couple to offer his congratulations for the milestone.

Mr and Mrs Schaper have lived in Stawell for most of their lives and the town itself could well be part of the reason for the longevity of their marriage.

The couple recall the first time they met, at a ball in Stawell.

"I guess you could say it was love at first sight," Mrs Schaper said.

Allan and Margaret wed in the Presbyterian Church in Stawell on March 13, 1954.

The couple who describe themselves as an 'ordinary loving couple' shared their honeymoon in Adelaide with royalty as it coincided with a visit from Queen Elizabeth the second.

They lived on the land near Glenorchy for several years before moving into town in the 1960s.

They have three children, six grandchildren, and a great grandchild who will grow up in a world different to the one they were born into.

"Things are very different now to what they were back then," Mr Schaper said.

"I think people have lost the value of a lot of things, Once a handshake was how you, now you need bank references."

As the saying goes a couple that plays together, stays together and Mr and Mrs Schaper have always been active members of the community whether it be on the social or sporting scene.

The couple played tennis for many years before turning their attention to golf and more recently bowls.

"It has its ups and downs, happy and sad times, but we've always got through," Mrs Schaper said.

"I think it has always been a matter of having faith in one another and in those days you had to rely on one another more," Mr Schaper said.

"My job was my duty as a mother and wife, to be there for my husband and children," Mrs Schaper said.

Despite witnessing a lot of change, not always for the better, the couple enjoy living in Stawell just as much as they did when they first moved here.

"Our friends have always meant a lot to us, we grew up together and have always stuck together, camping was a real joy for us," Mr Schaper said.

The retirees have now embraced a love of cruising as a way of enjoying their twilight years together.