General News
17 April, 2026
The Cunninghams — six decades of marriage
Maryborough residents Cyril and Maureen Cunningham celebrated six decades of married life this week.
Maryborough residents Cyril and Maureen Cunningham celebrated six decades of married life yesterday.
It’s hard to imagine they expected to celebrate the anniversary when they first met at a Saturday-night dance in the early 1960s.
Mr Cunningham is a life-long sportsman and was in Maryborough for a football final.
While he recalls losing the match he won something more longlasting — the heart of Mrs Cunningham.
“We’re just comfortable together,” she said.
She was from Maryborough, himself Ballarat, but when he returned to town the next week, they started dating.
A year later, they were engaged, but soon Mr Cunningham found himself in a situation that brings laughter from the pair six decades on.
They were at a dance at the Adelaide Lead Hall, the music would stop and people would come off the dance floor, until only the newly engaged couple was left.
The only problem? While both people were recently engaged, neither Mr Cunningham or the woman standing opposite were engaged to each other.
“I looked at her, and she looked at me, wondering what’s going on. That’s one of the funny things of life,” he said.
The couple’s big, if nerve-wracking, day was in April 1966 at St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Maryborough.
Their married life started in Ballarat but soon the couple moved back to Maryborough for Mr Cunningham’s work.
They lived in their home for 25 years raising their four kids: Naomi, Michael, Andrew, and Steven.
It’s four walls of memories, both good and bad, including their most difficult.
“The worst time we had was just over 36 years ago when we lost our daughter,” Mrs Cunningham said.
Their youngest daughter died following an accident when she was almost 15 years old.
The Cunningham couple said she enjoyed her sports, and was a quality athlete like her father, especially when playing indoor cricket.
“They said she may have made the Victoria side in the indoor cricket,” Mr Cunningham said.
It’s an unthinkable tragedy but they had each other, and their family, to support them through.
“It drew the whole family together … embraced everyone more or less,” Mrs Cunningham said.
They moved to their current home, built next door to their old one, around this time and have lived there ever since.
It was a through the fence move Mrs Cunningham said seemed to happen overnight.
“The doctor said to me I went past your place and there was an empty block and when I come home there was a house there,” she said.
In the decades since, their family has continued to grow from their four children to include 12 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren.
Now, having enjoyed a humble celebration with some of their family, what’s the secret to their happy marriage?
They both agree it needs give and take from both sides.
“I do what I do and she wants to do what she does,” Mr Cunningham said.