Rae and Bob Fortune outside their Nar Nar Goon home, where they have lived for almost 60 years. 35247 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Jade Lawton
BOB and Rae Fortune’s Nar Nar Goon home has seen their marriage span 60 years and six children.
While Rae moved to the property after the couple’s 1949 wedding at the Oakleigh Presbyterian Church, Bob was born on the farm and has been involved in the dairying business since he was ‘knee high to a grasshopper.’
Rae (nee Marshall) was a Cora Lynn girl and the couple met at a local dance before they were engaged in 1948.
After their marriage and honeymoon in Glenelg, Adelaide, the couple set up a caravan on the 147-acre property while Bob helped build the marital home.
“We always got along, and we haven’t had an argument yet – just disagreements now and then,” Bob said.
All six of the Fortune children, Brenda, Dawn, Neil, Kaye, Glenys and Ian, attended Nar Nar Goon Primary School, as did Bob when the school was based in Bald Hill Road.
“We were lucky enough to have a big bedroom that could fit two double beds in, with the four girls in there and the two boys in another room,” Rae said.
Bob played started playing football for Nar Nar Goon as a junior and played seniors until his nose was broken in a match against Pakenham.
“I went down like a spud. I played a few games after that, but wound up,” he said.
Bob had more success as a cricketer, playing for Nar Nar Goon from childhood to the age of 56.
He made the only hat-trick ever to be made against the Garfield RSL side and the Bunyip and District Cricket Association presented him a trophy for having the best bowling average in the league for the 1948-49 season, with 3.2 runs per wicket. Bob was also secretary of the association from 1948 until it disbanded, and made a life member of the Nar Nar Goon cricket club in 1971.
His last match against Catani saw him retire on 50 runs.
“He has been a very busy man,” Rae said.
Rae joined the Tynong CWA in 1978 until the club wound up and was a member of the Officer CWA until that disbanded.
The couple now has 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, with another due in a couple of weeks.
They will celebrate their milestone with an afternoon tea shared between family and friends at daughter Brenda’s Cranbourne home this Sunday.
