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When Mavis and David Jenkins met at a dance in Rochester in 1950, it was the start of a lifelong partnership.

Recently the couple celebrated its 60th wedding anniversary.

‘‘I must have reckoned she wasn’t a bad looker,’’ David said of their first meeting.

For Mavis, it was David’s voice that attracted her as he asked ‘‘may I have the next dance?’’

When they met, Mavis (nee Burgoine) lived 8km east of Rochester and David lived on a farm at Bamawm.

However, it was only a year before the pair was engaged and only two years until they married at Rochester Methodist Church in 1952.

While she can’t remember many details about the day, Mavis said it must have been wet.

‘‘The bottom of my wedding dress had mud on it,’’ she said.

After the wedding, the reception was held in the shire hall at Rochester, before Mavis and David headed to Sorrento and Portsea for their honeymoon.

They settled on the farm at Bamawm that was bought by David’s grandfather in 1912, and have remained there ever since.

The couple has three children, Marlene (Peters), Peter and Lance, eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Mavis and David said compatability was the secret to their long marriage.

‘‘We get on pretty well together I think,’’ David said.

‘‘We agree on most things,’’ Mavis said.

Mavis also offered advice to other couples that had worked in their marriage.

‘‘Don’t bear grudges,’’ she said.

Mavis said modern medicine had also contributed to the length of their marriage as both she and David had been sick a few times.

‘‘(We are) very grateful to reach this milestone,’’ she said.

The couple had a small celebration with family and friends to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.