Actress Joan Sydney, best known for her starring roles in Neighbours and A Country Practice, has died aged 83.
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Her friend Sally-Anne Upton announced her death on social media on Thursday saying the actress had died peacefully on December 28.
Sydney was well known on the small screen and played Matron Maggie Sloane at the fictional Wandin Valley Hospital on A Country Practice from 1983 to 1990.
From 2002 she played Valda Sheergold on Neighbours on a semi-regular basis, before joining the cast on a permanent basis between 2007 and 2008.
She also had guest roles on E Street, All Saints, Mother and Son, Something in the Air and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
The English born actress emigrated to Australia in 1965, and first started her career in theatre before moving to television.
In her touching tribute to Sydney, Ms Upton reminisced how they first met at a fundraiser for the Australian Nurses Federation (Vic Branch) in the 1990s.
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"I asked Joan if she would appear as Matron Sloane and at first she was very reluctant," Ms Upton wrote.
"She thought it wouldn't work, as Wandin Valley had been a long time off our screen and I said 'are you kidding me, everyone will know who you are and it will be the highlight of the show'.
"Sure enough, as I'm MC-ing the second half, she appeared through the curtain in her white nurses uniform and 70s nurses cap, no words spoken and brought the house down".
Sydney was the older sister of stage and screen actress Maggie King, and they often appeared in productions together.
Ms Upton wrote how her friendship blossomed with the sisters and they would spend time together.
"I would delight in spending time with Joan and Maggie wherever they lived, enjoying their fabulous hospitality, they were hilarious raconteurs, great cooks and their gardens looking spectacular," she wrote.
"Thank you for all you have taught me, love, friendship, many memories shared that will be treasured forever."
Fellow A Country Practice start Shane Withington has also paid tribute to Sydney
"Comedy is never as easy as it looks and this lady made it look effortless. I adored her," he posted on Twitter.
Nadine Morton
I report on crime, emergency services and police matters. Email me on nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
