WONDERFUL, magic, serendipitous and meant-to-be are the sort of words that describe the rather amazing events that accompanied the wedding celebrations of one Cleveland couple.
David and Eleanor Swallows celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary by returning to Lord Howe Island and remembering their honeymoon. During their visit, they experienced an unexpected moment of nostalgia.
The story begins when soon after their 1964 wedding, Mr and Mrs Swallows visited Lord Howe Island via a flying boat from Sydney. On the island they enjoyed one of their favourites activities – snorkeling.
Fast forward to 2024, Mr Swallows said soon after arriving they stepped into a photograph with some of the island’s departing guests, including the Sunshine Coast’s Ross and Helen Bartlett.
“We arrived at Lord Howe Island just after lunch, and we had an afternoon tea and a couple sat down next to us and we were chatting away,” Mr Swallows said.
He said while chatting they learned that this couple were last on Lord Howe Island in 1964, the same as the Swallows honeymoon.
“We asked them what month they came to the Island, and they said February,” he said.
“Well, we were here in February… and she pulled out this photograph from when they were heading home.
“And there we were, right there in the corner of their memory.”
Mr Swallows said the odds of this reunion 60 years on in the same place, were harder odds than winning the Australian lottery.
“In the photo they are leaving, because they have the flower leis on, they don’t do that anymore, but we are right in front,” he said.
Mrs Swallows said the day continued with happy memories as the two couple made plans to meet for dinner.
“On our first night at dinner, we made plans with Ross and Helen to get some champagne to celebrate and when we came into our booking there was already one in an ice bucket for us.”
Mr and Mrs Swallows’ UK -based daughter had organised for a bottle of bubbles for her parent’s anniversary, which they shared with Mr and Mrs Bartlett.
Mr Swallows said the trip was their first time returning to Lord Howe Island since their honeymoon.
“We flew over on a QANTAS flight, so it was very different from the flying boat the first time,” he said.
Mr Swallows recalled when the now decommissioned flying boats left Rose Bay in Sydney, they almost skimmed the tops of houses along the coastline.
