Al and Kerry were introduced by a mutual friend in downtown Gunnedah, before a later catch up at a dance in the band hall.

The young couple married at St Joseph's Catholic Church in 1967 and over the next eight years welcomed sons Gerard, Peter, Adrian, Scott and John into the world.

The newly formed Cushan family made their home in Rodney Street and would later build a family home on Mullaley Road next to Waterways Wildlife Park.

The Cushan family name is synonymous in Gunnedah’s business history, with the town’s first softdrink factory established by Al Cushan’s ancestor Joseph Luke Cushan in 1878.

Al was born and bred in Gunnedah and his bride Kerry was a Warialda girl arriving in town with her family when her father Mervyn Kelty took over as Postmaster in 1963. On arrival to Gunnedah, the family lived at the northern end of Abbott Street and later in a home in Colin Court, next to the hidden park.

Al began his education at St Xavier’s Primary School and spent the final few years of his schooling at St Joseph’s, Hunters Hill. He returned to Gunnedah and took over the family business, Cushan Progressive Cordials, which was located at the Northern end of Elgin Street.

Many fond memories were created in the Mullaley Road home, with the young Cushan boys playing their sports all year round with the constant reminder " you have 32 acres to play in " when a ball went smashing through a window. Two dams, abundant with crayfish, provided lots of enjoyment with swings hanging from the eucalyptus trees close to the edge. The seasons were reflected in the changing ground conditions surrounding the home.

In summer, the grass was cut low to provide a nicely turning bush cricket pitch, and when the cricket balls became lost in the long grass it was time to try to drive or chip golf balls over the power lines depending on the prowess of the golfer. Wintertime would mean footballs and cracker nights. The crisp frost and dew would be met with leather bound footballs for a game of "forcey backs". A well-attended cracker and bonfire night one year smoldered for the best part of a week.

The family soft drink business would ride the seasons with Al at the helm and Kerry by his side in the office. The rhythm of the click, clack and chink of the soft drink bottles and machinery would be ingrained in the family memories. The older brothers would unload the recyclable bottles from the timber crates into the bottle washing machine at the start of the production line. The younger brothers would pass empty crates to the factory employees and help pack the completed product back into timber crates ready for delivery. All of the brothers took turns riding shotgun with the delivery drivers as they delivered Gun Soft Drinks to towns across the North West.

The end of every month came with a flurry of paperwork. Invoices came home for processing and it was all hands-on deck, especially during summer time. The lounge room floor looked like a printing house struck by a tornado. Invoices were everywhere until Kerry and all the boys had them sorted, filed and ready to post - all the while Al was doing his bit in the cordial factory.

Al and Kerry worked very hard in their business, with 2am starts to load and unload trucks not being unusual. Along with other selfless community members Al helped the Gunnedah RSL Club trade out of receivership in the late 1980s. He was rewarded for his efforts within the Gunnedah community by receiving an Australia Day Award.

Outside of business hours Kerry was busy transporting the brothers to their various sporting venues. In the summer months, it was swimming club, tennis, cricket, basketball, athletics and golf. The colder months were welcomed with soccer, rugby league and rugby union.

All year-round, Peter, Adrian and Scott were members of the Gunnedah Shire Band and competed in national brass band competitions in Melbourne and Adelaide, and at championships across the state, accompanied by the whole family.

With a business that peaks in summer, holidays were always a challenge, while winter holidays included a much-anticipated drive to Hervey Bay to share with other likeminded Gunnedah families. The HZ station wagon carried the family of seven and towed a fully stocked Millard caravan north for the winter, after strategically being packed by the patriarch to ensure the tow bar was parallel to the ground.

With such a busy work and home life, and five boys to keep in line, Al and Kerry needed some downtime. Kerry is an avid reader and a great fan of theatre, with many coach tours to attend musicals and theatre with her friends in Sydney. Al was a competitive pistol shooter and loved spending time on the river or in the dam fishing. Al would also attend to the ‘snake pit’ at the RSL Club, as there was always something in need of repair. On a few occasions, Al would check out the beer lines and was known to test the snooker tables and dart board to ensure they were level, and at the correct height and distance. There was never a shortage of helpers, and over the years Al was rewarded for his efforts with the odd trophy.

In 1989, Al and Kerry sold the family business and re-located in Bennett’s Road, later moving to the Sunshine Coast to enjoy semi-retirement. Al worked in a logistics role for several years and Kerry was employed in aged care. In recent years, the couple relished the caravanning lifestyle, with brief returns to Gunnedah.

Al and Kerry Cushan have now finalised their business and family connections in the district and are happily enjoying retirement at Buderim on the Sunshine Coast. The family has grown to include 13 much-loved grandchildren.

Their boys are extremely grateful for the work ethic and level of acceptance Al and Kerry have instilled in them from a young age.

Their family and close friends will be meeting at Lake Keepit to celebrate this wonderful milestone and there are sure to be many funny stories told.