SA couple mark 80 years together

A South Australian couple have celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary at a nursing home south of Adelaide.

Ron and Esther Collings

SA couple Ronald and Esther Collings have celebrated their 80th anniversary. (AAP)

After more than eight decades as a couple, Ronald and Esther Collings lovingly held hands as well-wishers gathered on Friday to mark their 80th wedding anniversary.

A special anniversary cake featured a picture of the day back in 1938, when Ronald, 103, and Esther, 102, tied the knot.

They were just 23 and 22 at the time, never expecting that one day they would join just a handful of Australians to have been married so long.

Among those on hand to help mark the occasion at their Goolwa nursing home, south of Adelaide, was local MP Rebekha Sharkie.

A video message of congratulations also arrived from Australia's Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.

On Thursday the couple were feted in federal parliament with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten wishing them well.

Esther and Ronald watched the speeches, somewhat surprised at all the attention.

"My father said 'I can't believe they're talking about me'," their son Ron told AAP.

"They didn't realise it would be such an event."

Mr Morrison described Friday's anniversary as a "very special moment for Australia" and said the happy couple were an "inspiration to every single married couple in this country".

Mr Shorten said reaching 80 years together was a "rare and remarkable" feat while Ms Sharkie said she was looking forward to celebrating with Ronald and Esther.

Federal Minister for the Aged Ken Wyatt also offered his congratulations describing theirs as a "love story for the ages".

In their younger years, Esther was a dressmaker and Ronald a travelling salesman.

They also enjoyed seeing new places, travelling extensively around Australia as well as to Europe, India and Asia.


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Source: AAP


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