Woombye farmers celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary

Ray and Merilyn Clark at the markets on Sunday  ... “The last 50 years has all been pretty good I suppose you could say.” 

by Cameron Outridge

Long-time local farmers Ray and Merilyn Clark celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss at Woombye Hall on January 21. 

The Clarks reminisced about their half-century journey since their paths crossed at a Palmwoods dance in 1973. 

“We had about 30 guests from across the generations,” said Merilyn. 

Ray  came to Woombye in 1961 after his parents bought a farm in Diddillibah Road. 

“We met at a Palmwoods Dance in 1973 and then we decided to get married in 1974, on January 19 in the methodist Church in Caloundra.

“We got along all right. We liked each other,” said Merilyn.  

“The last 50 years has all been pretty good I suppose you could say. When you work hard together on a farm you have to be able to get along. We worked with each other a lot over the years, growing pineapples and avocados and other different things. You just go with the flow and do what you have to do. 

“We’ve still got pines and avocados to this day. And we have hydroponic herbs at our farm. It’s called Clark’s Veges. We have a sign here on the Didillibah Road roadside.”

Still selling veges

Ray and Merilyn still sell their veges at Yandina and Fisherman’s Road markets on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

They had four children and now have six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 

The couple on their wedding day.

Sadly the family has not been without tragedy. Their middle child, Bruce, passed  away in 1995 aged 12. “The other boys (Trevor and Darren Clark) still work on the farm and our daughter (Joy Tomkins) is a schoool teacher and has a house on the farm. She’s got her own little block.”

The family celebrated at the anniversary at Woombye Hall.