Fast forward four decades and the former Rotary Club of Port Macquarie exchange student was reunited with her former host mothers Helen Carr and June Edward.

The trio reminisced during lunch in Port Macquarie on Monday (January 20) after Ms Murphy contacted the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie.

"I had such a great experience here and it's such a beautiful town," Ms Murphy said.

"It's so much bigger, but honestly, I think when we drove down the coast and saw those beaches, I got emotional.

"The beaches are more beautiful than I remembered."

The huge added bonus was seeing Mrs Carr and Mrs Edward again, Ms Murphy said.

She said the host families were amazing.

The then exchange student, who attended Port Macquarie High School, stayed with four host families during 1978-79.

She enjoyed Rotary functions and travelled as far as Cairns and Alice Springs.

Ms Murphy, now a retiree, is active in Rotary.

Helen Carr couldn't believe it when she read the email about Ms Murphy's visit to Port Macquarie after just over 40 years.

"We had a great time together and the kids loved hearing all about Canada," Mrs Carr said about the host family experience.

She said meeting again made for such a wonderful day.

Mrs Edward also has lovely memories from the late 1970s.

"It's great when you have a young family to have that experience," she said about being a host family with the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

Mrs Edward said she was thrilled to see Ms Murphy again.

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