After 60 years of marriage, seven children and 21 grandchildren, Wangaratta couple Janet and Gavan Kelly are still just as in love as they were in 1966 when they said their vows.

The pair celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary at the Wangaratta Club over the weekend with their nearest and dearest.

Janet said the celebration was such a surprise with thoughtful touches organised by their family.

“We got a card from the King, from the Prime Minister and from the Governor-General, which we didn’t expect at all," she said.

The pair knew who one another were through family connections as Janet went to school with Gavan's sister, but the pair briefly met at a dance Yarrawonga and then at the movies in Corowa.

"I offered to give her a ride home," Gavan said.

"Looking back now, I can't believe I was brave enough to but I must have done."

Janet said Gavan pursed her quite heartily.

"I went down to teachers college in Melbourne for three years and he came down quite a lot," she said.

Six decades later, the couple’s story has unfolded across the region, raising a large family while farming and working in education.

Gavan hailing from Rutherglen and Janet from Corowa, their life together first took them first to Brimin, where they spent 15 years, then to a dairy farm at Jerilderie for 16 years, followed by 14 years at Springhurst, and then finally to Wangaratta where they have now been for 14 years.

Janet worked as a primary school teacher while Gavan farmed, a balance they say helped keep life grounded and purposeful.

Family remains at the heart of everything for the Kellys, they raised six sons and one daughter, and now delight in their growing number of grandchildren.

“With the grandkids, you just get the fun bits,” Janet said.

“You don’t have to do all the hard work and it’s lovely.”

But while their family is a source of joy, the couple said the real key to their long marriage lies in something much simpler: communication.

“I think the most important thing is that we talk to each other,” Janet said.

“We’ve had our disagreements, of course, but we try not to fight in front of the children and we don’t let things drag on.

“If something’s bothering you, talk about it."

Gavan agrees, summing it up in a familiar phrase: “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.”

The couple said they’ve always made an effort to resolve issues quickly rather than letting tension build, something they believe has helped avoid long-term resentment.

“It’s better to air things and get over it,” Janet said.

Over the years, they’ve also embraced their differences rather than letting them divide them.

“We’ve got different interests,” Janet said.

“But that gives you something to talk about, a different way of looking at things.”

Their shared experiences have also played a role in strengthening their bond, particularly travel later in life.

One standout adventure was a trip around Australia, sparked by a visit to their son in Western Australia in 2005.

“We went up through the middle, across the top and down the west coast,” Janet said.

“We never thought we’d do something like that.”

Janet documented the journey in detail, creating journals and photo albums that the couple still revisit.

“It’s wonderful to look back on,” she said.

“You remember the little things, what you were thinking at the time.”

Reflecting on their 60 years together, the Kellys are quick to acknowledge the role of family, good fortune and shared values.

“We’ve been very lucky,” Janet said.

“We’ve got wonderful children and lovely daughters-in-law.”

But above all, they believe their marriage has endured because they chose, again and again, to work at it.

“It’s about the person you choose in the beginning,” Janet said.

“But it’s also about how you treat each other along the way.”

For younger couples who don't have 60 years under their belt yet, their advice is straightforward.

“Talk to each other, be honest, and don’t hold onto things,” Janet said.

Gavan said it’s important to remember what really matters.

“Most arguments aren’t worth it in the long run,” he said.

Sixty years on, it’s a philosophy that has clearly stood the test of time.