By Beverley Drabsch Lanza

Old classmates enjoyed reconnecting, some not having seen each other since school days, while others had attended past class reunions; this being the fifth reunion since the first one in 1984.

It was a full weekend (6, 7, 8 September), with meet and greet at the Cambridge on Friday night, lunch at the Coachman on Saturday and dinner at the Hong Loch on Saturday night. We laughed as we shared old school memories, and listened with interest to each other's stories of where their life had led them.

Some of us had been at school together from Kindergarten onwards. But no matter how long our years together were, there was a sense of gratitude for those years spent together as we were growing up, that had played a part in our formation as adults.

We were delighted to have Mr. Wilson, a former deputy head at PHS, attend together with his son Chris. There were many who could not attend; classmates who wished they could but weren't able to.

One of these was Tommy Emmanuel who was busy on tour, but he sent a message with greetings, and with gratitude for the teachers' dedication. And thanks to Philippa O'Donnell, the main organiser behind the event, there was a wall of remembrance for all those who have sadly passed away. Rest in peace to them.

The event was topped off with a coffee in Cooke Park on Sunday morning for those who were still in town.

Others, instead, had made an early start to return home; home being as far away as Queensland, Broken Hill, different parts of Sydney, up Newcastle way and further beyond, and down Wollongong way and thereabouts, not forgetting Orange and Canberra, and anywhere in between.

Class of '69, see you in 2029!