A bond forged during nurse training has remained steadfast across six decades.
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Avice Vogel, Joan Young, Julie Frederiksen and Robin Robins graduated as nurses 60 years ago from Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
It has been 64 years since they started their nurse training.
The now retired nurses are celebrating a reunion in Port Macquarie, joined by Jan Lockhart, who started her training in the same year but later left to get married.
The reunion wraps up on Wednesday, April 10.
The group reflected on life during their training in the 1950s.
Avice said the group togetherness was marvellous.
"We've seen each other through bad times and really good times," she said.
"Those four years of training were really binding.
"Nursing was very strict with poor pay but it was really hands-on and it really taught you to be responsible."
Robin remembers the hard work as well as the time they spent together off-duty swapping stories about their days and romances.
"Nursing was the best thing I ever did and [resulted in] the best friends I ever made," she said.
Julie agreed nursing was one of the best things she did.
"I liked looking after people and really loved all the friends I made," she said.
Joan was fresh from the country town of Leeton in the Riverina region when she started her nurse training.
"I arrived in Sydney and I loved it from the moment I saw it," she said.
Joan recalls the food and the pay were appalling but she enjoyed looking after sick people.
"We were together for four years and there were good and bad times," she said about the training.
"I guess it just melded us together and we've been in touch ever since."
A chance meeting led to Jan being reunited with the group after 58 years.
Jan said the greatest friendships were created back then.
Graduates unable to attend the reunion were Shirley Heinzel, Beth Davis, Diana Glenn, Elaine Clyde and Jan Hennessy.
There have been nine reunions over the years.
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