In the 30 years Rick has been delivering milk to customers across Taree and Forster he took just one day off.

And, that wasn't due to illness.

Last year's floods, which closed the Martin Bridge, prevented Rick from picking up his Taree-parked truck and his daily supplies.

However, deliveries have continued across the decades even when communities shut-down due to COVID-19 restrictions, during drought, bushfires, floods and the shroud of smoke which covered the area for weeks.

With gold class customer services a priority, Rick would drive an additional hours to ensure businesses (who is his words were more like family) received deliveries.

At one stage during the pandemic Rick re-located to the family's former Barrington dairy farm house - now a popular holiday destination - to ensure COVID-19 didn't catch up with him.

Nothing was too hard or off the table for this hard working, dedicated business couple.

Today, Friday, August 19 marked the end of a three decade era when Rick and Jill made their final delivery after being advised earlier this year their contact would not be renewed.

"It seems to be the way of big business nowadays where they opt for the cheapest delivery method, with 'loyalty and service' no longer playing a part of business," Rick said.

Back in 1992 when the couple started their Forster run it was an era of home deliveries and stocking a handful of shops and businesses, including the Great Lakes Advocate when it was located in Helen Street.

With 250 home delivery customers the former bank manager set himself a target to see how much weight he could lose in the first month. More than 25kgs.

With hard work and much 'door knocking' the couple built the home delivery service to more than 350 customers and began employing school children, including their three children, to help with the distribution.

"I'd pick them up about 1am and they would be back in time to catch the school bus," Rick said.

NSW Milk Deregulation in 2000 saw additional challenges and opportunities with the couple expanding their business into Taree, picking up a good balance of wholesale outlets and home deliveries.

At one stage the couple had more than 30 youngsters and six truck drivers on their books.

However, as supermarkets became more aggressive with pricing (slashing the price of milk to $1/L), both home deliveries and the Forster milk run stopped.

Striving to provide the highest level of service and commitment, the couple was recognised with a State-wide Best NSW Milk Vendor Award chosen from all brands of milk processors.

Taking a weekend break has never been a part of their vocabulary, volunteering as soccer and netball coaches/umpire, surf patrol with the Cape Hawk Surf Life Saving Club working in school canteens, assisting students with reading and on school excursions.

They have operated in a tough industry, with low margins, physical work and challenging working hours.

It has only been with continued local support that we continued for the last 30 years, Rick said.

The couple is looking forward to a well deserved rest before embarking on the next phase of their lives, spending more time with their four grandchildren, renovating their Green Point home and maintaining both their Barrington and Forster holiday properties.

"We would like to sincerely thank the support received from all the shops, nursing Homes, schools, hospitals, motels and of course the nearly 600 home delivery customers - now a thing of the past- for the last 30 years."