The couple, who have been married for 57 years, both grew up and stayed in the town.

Mrs Pearce's grandparents owned and operated the Harris Brothers store, which is supposed to have been one of the biggest stores in the North East when Bethanga was a gateway to the Upper Murray.

The store was destroyed by fire at the beginning of World War I and Mrs Pearce remembers her father telling her about the blaze.

"The war started and those opposed to the war went around burning food supplies," Mrs Pearce said.

"The Harris store wasn't the only one burnt down at the time."

When electricity reached Bethanga in 1959, Mrs Pearce's grandmother was asked to officially flick the switch, an example of the standing of the family in the town.

"Grandma was also about the oldest one here," Mrs Pearce said.

Mr Pearce's father had a cream run to Tallangatta, in the era before refrigeration.

Later that truck was covered in canvas and turned into a school bus.

The couple brought up their four daughters at Bethanga and while the children have since moved away, they have no intention of leaving.

When you stand in their backyard to gaze over the little town, with a glimpse of Lake Hume in the distance, you can understand why.