Don't go to bed angry and do things together.

Barry and Cath Sanders notched up their 50th wedding anniversary with a family event at Lake Cathie on October 17 and 18.

The Port Macquarie couple say spending time together - including a love of fishing, watching the St George Illawarra Dragons and dancing - is key to a successful union.

It was dancing that brought the couple together during the festive season of 1965. Rock 'n roll music was taking over from the more classic form of ballroom dancing.

Barry along with two mates, Max and Bob, would often spend their weekends searching for good fishing spots.

On one of the trips, the trio ended up at one of their popular places - Wollongong.

"I was from Sydney and Cath lived in Wollongong," Barry said. "On that weekend, the guys and I had gone down to Wollongong to fish but we then decided to head to one of the dances.

"We all went to the Pioneer Hall, a popular dance hall.

"Cath was sitting with her friends and I thought I will just see if this girl can dance.

"After that first meeting, I would travel to Wollongong each weekend to see her," he said.

Cath said the Pioneer Hall was a popular rock and roll dance spot where the Tornedoes would belt out the latest sounds of the dawning music scene.

Their courtship continued for five years before they became engaged in February 1970. They married eight months later in the Immaculate Church, Unanderra.

The couple returned from their honeymoon, spending one night with Barry's parents before moving into their first home at Carlton, in the St George area.

Cath said their days were spent working and on weekends walking to Jubilee Oval to watch the Dragons play rugby league. Barry was also a competitive baseballer with the St George Leagues Club team.

"Barry was working for the Sydney County Council before moving to Flick Pest Control," she said.

"We eventually purchased our own business as Concord Pest Control looking after the inner west area of Sydney.

"I had picked up some work in the office of a jeweller before working at Port Kembla Hospital in medical records."

The couple welcomed their first child, Peter, in 1973 who currently lives at Yowie Bay. Joanne was born in 1976 and now lives in Engadine. The family was complete in 1981 with the arrival of Rebecca, who lives in Port Macquarie.

Barry and Cath have also welcomed several grandchildren - Ella, Taj, Zoe, Damon and Katie.

The couple eventually sold their pest control business, moving to a five-acre property on the South Coast.

They raised cows and ducks - and plenty of snakes - on the hobby farm, Cath says.

Unfortunately Barry suffered a heart attack and the couple decided to move into Greenwell Point, a small fishing village.

"We built a new home there and stayed for 14 years," Cath said.

"However, we soon realised that the area was a bit isolated, particularly given that Barry was not well.

"We decided to move to Port Macquarie in 2014 because our daughter was here. "We have really enjoyed being here - it is a beautiful place," she said.

Barry was to continue to have a number of medical episodes including several stints in hospital.

The couple said their weekend anniversary celebration at Lake Cathie was a wonderful event.

"Barry and I really loved seeing the children and our grandchildren over the weekend," Cath said.

Throughout their 50 years' together, the couple have travelled extensively with Cath's brother Joe and his wife Robyn.

And while they experienced some ups and downs, the couple said they continue to enjoy doing things together.

"The only thing I would say is that we made a point of never going to bed cranky," Barry said.

"That was passed down from our own parents.

"We always kiss each other goodbye when we leave the house.

"And we are still in love with each other after 50 years," he said.

Cath said it was important that they continued to be friends too.

"We like to go out and do things together and we still like to go fishing when Barry's health is good.

"Our children did a wonderful thing for us (on the weekend). We had the best weekend.

"To be able to see all our children and grandchildren, it really perked Barry up," she said.

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