SOME would consider 74 years as a decent life span, but for Gail Brown and Jacqueline Meyer that number marks the amount of time they've been best friends.

And what are best friends for? Well yesterday it was about surprise as Mrs Meyer's daughter organised a special Seniors Week cruise for the pair and their husbands aboard the Curtis Island Ferry.

Mrs Brown was in on the surprise, but Mrs Meyer had no idea so you could imagine the shock when her lifelong friend turned up at Alf O'Rourke Dr for the two-hour cruise.

Both women are 78 going on 79 - Mrs Brown born in November 1938 and Mrs Meyer on Christmas Day of the same year.

They are both as Gladstone as it comes.

Rex Brown, Gail's husband, is the son of Marley Brown.

Jacqueline's husband, Donald is originally from Calliope.

Both girls went to South Gladstone State School as it was known at the time and only lived a stone's throw away from each other with Mrs Brown at Stasia Lane and Jacqueline at Tooloola St just up from the school.

Besides from going to school together, they both played sport together, namely basketball and netball.

While over seven decades of friendship seems like an eternity, the pair have never had a falling out throughout that time.

"We've always been friends and it's just gone on,” Mrs Meyer said.

"We always said whoever got married first would be bridesmaid and I got married first,” Mrs Brown said.

"When Jacqueline got married I was her matron of honour,” she said.

As far as the secret to sustaining a friendship for such an extended period of time, Mrs Brown puts it down to a few simple truths.

"We've always been there for each other, trusted each other and shared our ups and downs,” she said.

"Good friends have no lies - we've never had an argument and or a falling out.

'We just keep smiling and live life to the fullest.”