Lina and Mario Bettanin share a kiss atop the Shepparton Tower.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
A celebratory kiss at the top of the Shepparton Tower seals another successful scaling of its 160 steps for the 90-plus-year-old Bettanins.
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Mario and Lina aren’t sure how many times they’ve climbed the iconic CBD landmark, but they’ve been doing it at least once a week for years.
“Sometimes more, if the weather is good,” Mario, who turned 92 last month, says.
The sun isn’t shining when we meet at the base of the 76.2-metre-tall metal structure at the beginning of another unpredictable spring week, but if the physical exertion doesn’t get his blood pumping enough to raise his temperature, Mario is prepared, dressed in a warm woollen jumper.
Once a literal yarn-spinner, he still enjoys spinning a different kind yarn, as he tells the story of how he was the manager of Cleckheaton Mill for 25 years, and his jumper isn’t just any old jumper off any old shelf.
“I spun the wool, she knitted the jumper,” he says, smiling and gesturing towards his wife, who warmly returns his smile.
Lina, who is six months younger than her husband, will turn 92 in March, next year.
Mario has been in Shepparton since 1950; Lina since 1951.
Lina follows on the ascent, but leads on the descent, while Mario follows.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The pair met when they were 17.
Mario was on a farm “about 100 metres away from Lina’s sister’s place”.
“She arrived, she was good looking, so you don’t waste any time,” Mario said cheekily.
Three years ago, Mario fell gravely ill.
Transferred to a hospital in Bendigo, it was touch and go; Lina uncertain if her husband would recover.
Thankfully, he was up and going again three days later.
Now, he never skips leg day, aka tower-climbing day, which not only benefits the strength of his pins, but keeps his cardiovascular fitness higher than walking the paths on the ground.
Pun fully intended.
Lina and Mario have almost clocked ‘up’ 70 years of marriage.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“I encourage him to carry on,” Lina said.
“Shepparton is so flat. The tower is a good place to get uphill exercise in Shepp.”
The parents of seven (including twins), whose offspring have all moved from the city, now live in the CBD, so they extend their workouts by walking to and from the tower as well, despite still being equipped to drive.
Mario enjoys the ascent more than the descent for the fitness benefits, suggesting that the downhill is a bit more dangerous with footing as he ages.
As he hikes up, Lina follows.
When he comes down, Lina leads; arms stretched out to the rails on either side of the stairs, forming a safety net of sorts to break any potential falls.
“I don’t trust him,” Lina says.
“See how caring she is,” Mario adds, gratitude palpable.
Aside from keeping fit, they say they don’t so much seek out the thrill of heights as they are a pair of folk who simply enjoy a good view and some fresh air in the mornings.
The levitating lovebirds will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on Boxing Day this year, directly across from their favourite exercise playground.
Mario points ahead from the tower’s gateway he stands in to function centre Amici and asks, “Do you know what Amici means?”.
Poetically, it translates to ‘friends’ in English from the couple’s native Italian language.
There are no greater heights a story of companionship can soar to than Mario and Lina’s.
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