The veterans were overwhelmed during the week-long trip, seeing old friends and meeting both the Prime Minister and Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

Veteran Kevin Coughlin had not been back to Darwin in 70 years.

“Everything is so different. There are buildings everywhere, it wasn’t like this when I was here last” he said.

Bill Hosking said he had returned to Darwin several times since the fatal day of bombing in 1942, however this trip was extra special as he shared it with his son and grandson.

“We had a marvellous time with my family. The service was very moving,” he said.

One of the highlights of the trip for Mr Hosking was meeting Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

“I felt a tap on the shoulder and I turned around and it was the Prime Minster, I couldn’t believe it,” he laughed.

“She asked me all about what I did during the war.”

The seven veterans had a busy schedule, attending a ball, lunch at Parliament house, a visit to the memorial at Adelaide River and the official memorial service on February 19.

During the ceremony Mr Hosking couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw a fellow veteran he hadn’t seen in 70 years

“I looked at him and then I looked away and then I looked back and thought, ‘it couldn’t be’,” he said.