Ms Fleming, 86, was already living in the facility when Mr Lucas, 91, arrived about five months ago.

"It was the first time we met," Mr Lucas said. "I was struck by her. I fell in love with her. We met and we hit it off."

Ms Fleming said she also felt an instant connection.

"I thought what a beautiful man - a clean looking, well-spoken man," she said. "He was just something I had been waiting for I guess. I had to wait a long time to get him but nobody else could have him. He was mine."

Read more: Bendigo couple Eva and Laurie McKenzie celebrate 65 years of marriage

The aged care residents bonded over their mutual love of gardening.

"Dorothea's the keen gardener," Mr Lucas said. "She owned her own orchid place in Queensland.

"She was in the garden, doing all the gardening when I got here, and I like gardening so it gave us some common ground."

After months of getting to know each other, Mr Lucas thought it was the right time to pop the question in the Mercy Health Bethlehem dining room.

"I just said, Dorothea, I love you very much. Please marry me?" Mr Lucas said.

Ms Fleming had a quick response.

"I said yes," she said. "Why wouldn't I?"

The couple both had long first marriages with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Mr Lucas said their families have been really supportive of their engagement.

"They all love it," he said. "They're thrilled. They didn't expect it but they love it, they are really rapt."

The staff and residents at Mercy Health Bethlehem have also been excited about the upcoming wedding.

"They're giving us an engagement party, which is very good of them," Mr Lucas said. "We're going to get married at the chapel here by our pastor.

"We haven't set the date yet because Dorothea has to go to hospital to have an operation on her shoulder.

"So when we get that all sorted out, we will have the wedding here in our chapel."

Ms Fleming said their faith had been a large part of their relationship.

"We believe God brought us together," she said. "We believe it's His plan and we're both so happy."

"It's a match made in heaven, in other words," Mr Lucas said.

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.