MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY
Home » News » 90 years of Darrel

90 years of Darrel

James ‘Darrel’ Munn celebrated his 90th birthday on Monday, November 13 with those he loves most.

Darrel has lived in Altona for more than 60 years and been a large part of the Hobsons Bay community ever since.

It was 1959 when Darrel and his late wife Norma moved to Altona following their marriage.

The pair met in Trentham when Darrel was working as a bank teller and Norma worked at a clothing and material shop.

“We knew each other for nine months before we decided to get married,” he said. “Together we had three kids and seven grandchildren, all fantastic and successful.”

Before the move Darrel grew up in a small town near the South Australian border.

“I moved to Melbourne to live with my sister while she was pregnant and her husband was at war,” he said.

The youngest of 11 siblings, Darrel was a hard worker working at more than 50 bank branches across his career.

Darrel enjoys remembering the times he travelled the world with his wife, something they did a lot of.

“Over 25 years, we did a lot of travelling, it was always somewhere new and great.”

These days, Darrel spends his time watching Foxtel and catching up with everyone he loves.

“I love all sport, I will watch anything but I love AFL the most, and this year my team were the premiers,” he said.

“I live in a nice home and still enjoy driving my car, I have nice neighbours who all look after me with my family.”

Darrel and his family celebrated the big birthday with a special dinner and big night out.

Jennifer Pittorino

Digital Editions


  • Sporting club grants up for grabs

    Sporting club grants up for grabs

    Local sporting clubs across Victoria are encouraged to apply for a fresh round of funding grants launched by the state government. On Wednesday, Community Sport…

More News

  • Full steam ahead to open day

    Full steam ahead to open day

    A small army of volunteers is busily preparing for the Newport Workshops Open Days on the Labour Day long weekend. The biennial event takes place from 7-9 March showcasing the…

  • Blackshaws truck ban could spread

    Blackshaws truck ban could spread

    Trucks could soon be banned from even more inner west streets just months after bans and nighttime curfews were implemented on a number of major thoroughfares following the opening of…

  • Work still to be done on IWD

    Work still to be done on IWD

    International Women’s Day (IWD) has a long and powerful history in Australia, reflecting more than a century of activism, reform and progress toward gender equality. The origins of International Women’s…

  • Dear Agnes returns

    Dear Agnes returns

    A contemporary public art program returns in March, paying tribute to the Altona Meadows land artwork created in 1998 by New York-based environmental artist Agnes Denes. Dear Agnes features new…

  • Falcons to go again

    Falcons to go again

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 495489 City West Falcons’ championship side is back for the Victorian Netball League season, but fans should expect a glimpse of the future. The…

  • EPA conducts odour blitz

    EPA conducts odour blitz

    The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said it has conducted more than 36 inspections and issued eight compliance notices in relation to recent reports of odour in Melbourne’s inner west. The…

  • Bulldogs lose thriller

    Bulldogs lose thriller

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 449514 It was heartbreak for Yarraville-Footscray as it fell just short of claiming a second straight Bowls Victoria weekend premier division premiership on Sunday…

  • Aunty Marge honoured with mural

    Aunty Marge honoured with mural

    A mural dedicated to Stolen Generations survivor advocate for First Nations rights, health and women’s wellbeing, Aunty Margaret Tucker , was unveiled in Footscray on Tuesday. Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas…

  • Community Calendar

    Community Calendar

    Book sales Friends of Altona Libraries (FOAL) hold monthly book sales at the rear of Altona Library during the first week of each month. Books no longer required by the…

  • Footscray folk farewell

    Footscray folk farewell

    Luminaries of Melbourne’s folk music scene will be farewelled at ‘Footscray Folk: A Singout!’ on Saturday 7 March. The concert at Bluestone Hall at Borderlands Cooperative will celebrate Footscray based…