The event attracted almost 150 Rotarians and their guests.

Club spokesperson Kerry Medway said the celebrations could be summed up neatly.

"In the words of the chorus from Little Brown Jug - a song performed by Taree Rotarians in 1948 and performed by our own Rotary Songsters in 2018 - “Ha ha ha! You and me; Port Macquarie Rot-ar-y”," he said.

"There were many friendships renewed with many past Rotarians returning for the celebrations along with families of Rotarians promoted to 'Rotary heaven' coming to honour those involved in our club in its 70 year history."

A special part of the night will be the roll call of past and former club members whose families will be present.

"Mayor Peta Pinson and club president John Sheppard provided a good promotion of our book - Seventy Years of ‘Service Above Self’ which was officially launched on the night.

"The Songsters entertained us as we sang and enjoyed ourselves."

The presentation posthumously of a Paul Harris Fellow to the grandson of Clive Chapman, the charter secretary and main driver for the formation of the Port Macquarie Rotary Club in 1948, was another highlight.

In its 70 year history, the Port Macquarie Rotary Club has chalked up 224,000 hours of community service, raised over $3 million and welcomed 395 Rotarians.

While the planting of the Norfolk Island Pines and the building of the Astronomical Observatory were important to Rotary's work, the club has also participated in a raft of other community-focussed events.

These include raising funds at golf days, helping purchase equipment for the Port Macquarie hospital and Sydney hospitals; raising funds for the local swimming pool; created Rotary Park; raised funds for the local scouts and guides, surf clubs; emergency services and schools. 

They have also supported students; constructed Rotary Lodge; restored Flagstaff Hill; painted the cemetery fence and painted rooms in the women’s refuge, just to name a few of the projects the club has organised and completed.