A couple of weeks ago, they were back for the first time, with children grown and busy with their own lives Down Under.
They did what visiting Australians do - taking in many of the tried and trusted tourist sights up and down the country.
But there was one little trip that was a must ... a walk along a particularly scenic stretch of the Leeds and Liverpool canal towpath, lying near their previous home-for-a-year.
It had been a favourite way of spending time with the children. Had it changed in all those intervening years?
Aussie
To find out, six of us - our Aussie couple, two mutual friends and my wife and I - climbed aboard the Mazda 5 to drive to that stretch, something we couldn't have done in one vehicle (barring a minibus) back at the time of their original visit.
For, love it or loathe it, the people carrier or MPV is probably the only truly original, innovatory domestic vehicle of the past 30 years or more. What about the now almost ubiquitous 4x4 soft roader, I hear you ask.
Sorry, it doesn't count, as this particular genre is the offspring of the long-established Land-Rover and Jeep, whereas the people carrier is a singular creation and heir to no motoring tradition.
So, we were engaged in a quest for the past in what would have been a vehicle of the future during the Australian family's seventies stay.
And it worked a treat.
The Mazda 5 accommodates seven people, with three rows of seats in a 2-3-2 configuration.
We were but six in number, yet it was easy to see that even with a full complement there would have been more than enough space.
So, the Mazda, which made it to the final line-up for the Car Of TheYear 2006, passed the crucial test for any people carrier - it was a dab hand at carrying people.
StyleBetter still, it does it with great practicality and a fair amount of style.
Access is easy, with sliding side doors for rear passengers, a first for a people carrier of the 5's dimensions.
The easy-operating doors open wide to allow easy entrance to both rear seats and the extra pair at the back, which are easily stowed for increased luggage space.
Driver and front passenger space is generous, too, and I liked the slightly elevated postion that the people carrier affords.
The driving experience was positive, with the two-litre petrol engine pulling willingly, while the five-speed manual gear change was slick, the clutch light and braking-power reassuring.
Handling was pleasantly taut and saloon car-like, and fuel consumption more than acceptable, even when pushed hard.
My only niggle was the interior, the smart carbon grey exterior paintwork complemented by fabric trim that was rather too dark for my taste.
The exterior lines of the 5 are quite sleek and in keeping with what has become a distinctive, pacy-looking range - no boxiness here, despite the seven-seater capacity.
Stylish and capable, the 5 is a welcome addition to this developing genre.
What do you think? Have your say
