They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at the weekend surrounded by family and friends, including the flower girls from their wedding day on September 2, 1950.

The couple, who live in Sunbury, met in 1948 at a Trocadero dance and married two years later in Prahran.

Mr Smith, then 22, popped the question to Lillian at Luna Park in 1950 when she was 19.

"We're friends, too. We were well paired together and we've done everything together. We never lied to each other and when we had the children that made it all the better," Mr Smith, 82, said.

The couple have seven children - three boys and four girls. They have 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

"When we got married it was hard to get houses. You had to rent. We lived in Carlton, Brunswick, then we went to Newmarket. The housing commission at Broadmeadows started up and it was then we got a house.

"We were there [for] about 31 years. We've lived in Sunbury for 16 years," Mr Smith said.

He has worked in a number of jobs to support his family, including as a painter and decorator, barman, cleaner and on the track staff at Flemington Racecourse.

Mrs Smith, now, 79, has been a hospital worker and also worked at Ford's canteen.

"I think she's kept me alive, we keep moving. Our family keeps us going," Mr Smith said.

"Our family is always taking us out somewhere, we don't have time to do other things.

"The last few years have gone quickly. We have lots of people to keep us on our toes."

The Smiths are now chasing a family record - Mr Smith's parents had been married for 73 years.