Vale Richard Morecroft

Veteran broadcaster Richard Morecroft has passed away, aged 70.

Tributes have poured in after Morecroft died on Tuesday, 6 October, on the NSW South Coast, following a cancer diagnosis he revealed in July this year. His partner of 36 years, artist Alison Mackay, was by his side.

Morecroft was one of the country's most recognisable newsreaders, serving as the face of the ABC's 7pm NSW television news for almost two decades, from 1983 until 2002.

Beyond the nightly news, he presented election-night coverage, educational and wildlife programs, and the ABC children's current affairs program Behind the News.

After stepping down from the ABC news desk, he returned to television as host of SBS' Letters and Numbers from 2010 to 2012.

"I was very sorry to hear of the passing of Richard Morecroft. As the face and the voice of the news of the ABC, Richard became a beloved part of Australian life," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

"Combining a consummate professionalism with an unyielding humanity, Richard was a figure of absolute trust, a warm and familiar presence who guided us through the good times and bad."

Beyond his contribution to Australian media, Morecroft was also an accomplished artist and a strong supporter of the arts community. He served on the board of Bundanon, the NSW South Coast arts institution, from 2005 to 2012.

A wildlife advocate, Morecroft also held formal roles with wildlife organisations, including as a governor of the Taronga Foundation and a director of the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales. As a member of Wildlife Information and Rescue Services (WIRES), he volunteered to care for an orphaned baby flying fox named Archie, an experience that inspired his 1991 book Raising Archie.

"We pay our respects to Richard and extend our condolences to his family. We were fortunate to work with Richard at Financial Standard, where his professionalism, warmth and experience made a lasting impression on everyone who worked with him," said Christopher Page, group managing director at Rainmaker Information.

Morecroft hosted Financial Standard's flagship Marketing, Advertising and Excellence (MAX) Awards five times between 2008 to 2014.