The former Armidale High School students have caught up regularly in recent years, and for the 60th anniversary since their school days ended, they took the opportunity to visit the school where the principal took them on a guided tour.

At their old stomping ground on the southern side of the city, the former students took the opportunity to reflect on the school years among the once familiar buildings.

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One of the group, Dave Robins, has lived in Armidale for most of his life - only moving away for two years before returning - and he said the closeness of the group was the reason they were now regularly catching up so long after the final school bell rang when they were students.

“We were a pretty friendly year group really,” he said. “Quite a few of us went right through infants, primary and high school together. Even Ron Miller and I went to preschool together.”

Ron was the school captain and the dux of the year when they reached the end of their school years, and he travelled up from Melbourne for the reunion, where he has lived since 1971.

“We have a reunion every couple of years because we get along so well,” Ron said.

“I think we’ll keep having them.”

As well as Melbourne, the group travelled to Armidale from the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and Sydney, as well as places closer to their former home including Dorrigo and Tamworth.