Now in their early nineties, Dirk and Anne Bouma's skin is wrinkled and their dark hair has turned white. But when they look at each other, they still see the teenager they fell in love with.

Originally from The Netherlands, the Boumas celebrate 70 years of marriage on Tuesday, October 9 and clearly remember the day they met.

"In 1943 my brother and I went to visit an aunt and uncle. From the front door we could hear other children laughing and we were ushered into the lounge room. As we stepped into the room I noticed a charming young lady sitting on the armrest of one of the chairs.

"When I stepped forward to greet her, she lost her balance, fell on the floor and the next thing I saw was a pair of lovely legs and pink panties. That was, without any exaggeration, our first meeting.

"We got on very well together and something lovely and beautiful began to grow between us during the five days we were together. It was summer and we had a wonderful time together walking, swimming, playing board games and solving problems of the world.

"[World War II] was not far away from our thoughts. I remember standing outside at night looking at the sky as the searchlights were trying to catch planes flying over on their way to Germany. Anne and I were standing close, holding hands mainly for comfort, hoping none of the planes would be caught in the searchlights, or worse shot down by German anti-aircraft guns.

"As this holiday was coming to an end, Anne and I went for a walk through the park to post a letter. This occasion stands out in my memory as few others do. I remember clearly what Anne was wearing. We walked through the park holding hands and shyly exchanged our first kiss. We knew then that we were made for each other."

"When I was 17 I visited the daughter of friends of my parents. And this is where my future was sealed.

"It was there that I met Dirk for the very first time and I was literally swept off my feet. When we were introduced I was sitting on the back of the chair and somehow the chair fell over! What an introduction!

"I was immediately smitten by this black-haired, brown-eyed boy. As far back as I can remember, I wanted a boyfriend with black hair. Here was my ideal. In my diary at that time I wrote, 'We went for a walk together to the letterbox. Dirk is truly serious about us'.

"When I came home of course I told my mother. She said, 'Child you are too young', I said, 'No I’m not, you shall see'. From that time on our lives practically moved alongside each other."

Dirk and Anne were married by proxy on October 9, 1948 - Dirk was overseas fighting in the Dutch army in the Indonesian war for independence. Anne's father stood in for Dirk at the local town hall while Dirk received a letter while sharing a meal with his fellow soldiers to say he had married the love of his life. It was hardly the wedding night they had planned.

The couple's vows were sealed in a church in Wageningen when Dirk returned home in 1950.

In 1952, poor job prospects in post-war Europe forced Dirk to move to Australia to work for the Soil Conservation Branch of the South Australian Department of Agriculture. Anne and their baby daughter joined him six months later.

From Adelaide to Griffith to Canberra, Sutton, Bega and then back to Canberra, the Boumas built a life in Australia that included five children - they took the 1950s Australia mantra "populate or perish" very seriously.

Dirk's role at the CSIRO office in Griffith eventually led to an appointment at the CSIRO in Canberra, where he spent the remainder of his working life, retiring as senior principal research scientist in 1984.

Today, the Boumas enjoy a slow life at Villagio St Antonio in Page, including regular visits from their 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

The couple's tips for thriving during seven decades of marriage?

"Never let the sun go down on your anger," Anne says.

"Let your love grow a little more every single day," Dirk adds.