Former workers at Wagga's historic Dunlop Weatherproof Factory were reunited last weekend

It was the first reunion to be held since 2002, with about 45 former employees travelling from across the country to the Wagga RSL to reflect on old times.

Those present ranged in age from their 60s to their 90s and had many a tale to tell and memory to share.

For one man, the years he worked there would change the rest of his life.

Ken Howell started at the factory in 1947 at the age of 16.

"Dunlop's was my first job," Mr Howell said.

Serving as a pay clerk, he oversaw payment for more than 230 employees each week.

It was also where he met the love of his life, Dorothy.

"We met there in 1947 and in June it will be our 70th wedding anniversary."

Mr Howell said what he values most from his time at Dunlop's is the friendship.

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Monica Williams (nee Seymour) also loved her time at Dunlop's.

"I worked there three times over my career," Mrs Williams said.

"Every time I left and couldn't get a job somewhere else I went back to Dunlop's," she said.

Ms Seymour started there at the age of 14 in the early 1950s, and left in the mid-1960s.

One of the most poignant memories for her was when everybody clocked off.

"When I worked there nearly everybody rode a pushbike. When the whistle blew, about 300 people rode out of the factory on pushbikes."

Chris Killalea (nee Salamaj) also started at the factory when she was 14 in the 1960s.

"When I started I worked on the tables doing raincoat welts, because you couldn't go onto the machines until you were 15," Mrs Killalea said.

She then worked there until Dunlop's closed in 1977.

For Mrs Killalea, the factory environment was "like a big family".

One family had particularly strong ties to the factory, with six members working there over the years.

"I'm the eldest of nine children and six of us worked there, including my mum," Wanda Heydon said.

"I have a lot of crazy memories of my time there."

Her sister Julie Heydon agreed.

"We had a great time working at Dunlop's. I worked there from the 1960s until they closed," she said.

Event organiser Robyn Seeliger worked at the factory in the 1960s and was glad at the turnout.

"We hoped we would get about 50," she said.

She said the youngest person there would be about 63 years old, while the oldest is now in their early 90s.

It has been 20 years since the last reunion and Ms Seeliger was delighted to catch up with people once more.

"It's wonderful. There were people in the room I know, who I haven't talked to for at least 45 years and it's like I saw them yesterday," she said.

Established as a munitions factory in 1943, it took on the name Dunlop the following year.

Located at the corner of Murray and Forsyth streets, it produced a range of clothing, including trench coats, battle jackets, police overcoats, women's skirts and even the 'whites' for the Davis Cup.

The factory was also particularly noteworthy for the high number of women it employed.

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