What's the secret to a good marriage?

IT was meant to be an adventure around Australia but Andrew Coates got as far as Mackay when he met the woman he would marry.

Backpacking from Brisbane, Mr Coates stopped in Mackay to work for a bit. On November 1, 1979, he met Alison Condie.

They met at the future Mrs Coate's sister's place where Mr Coates had come around to meet a mutual friend.

They were married on a beautiful day on December 19, 1981, at St Francis Church, West Mackay.

They will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary today.

Mrs Coates had her sisters Catherine and Mary as her bridesmaids whilst Mr Coates had his brother Ian and friend Gary Elkins by his side.

Their reception was held at Mrs Coates Uncle Gresley Lukin's (dec.) place in Haber St, North Mackay.

They had their first child, Andrew Coates Jnr, in September 1984 and he was soon joined by a beautiful baby sister, Rosemary Coates, on November 7, 1985.

Unfortunately Rosemary's life was cut short due to a defect in her heart and she passed away on May 3, 1986.

So it was back to the three of them but just over 12 months later they were blessed with another little girl, Jodie Coates, who was born on the April 28, 1987.

Eight years later the youngest of their children, Jack Richardson Coates, was born on July 5, 1995.

The latest edition to the family tree are two granddaughters, Taylor Coates, two, and Rosemary Aujla, who will be two in January.

Whilst Andrew's backpacking trip around Australia may have been cut short due to the serendipitous circumstances in Mackay in 1979, the couple have travelled to Fiji where their son was married, India where their daughter married and China and New Zealand for leisure.

Their advice for marital success is to just 'love each other'.

Mr Coates is the son of Leona and Donald Coates, and Mrs Coates is the daughter of Barbra and James 'David' Condie.