Beloved Australian television and theatre icon Lorraine Bayly has died at the age of 89, her family has confirmed. Her passing on Saturday in a Sydney care home marks the end of a remarkable 62-year career that shaped generations of Australians and left an indelible mark on stage and screen.
Bayly was a familiar face to many, first becoming one of the original presenters on Play School in the 1960s – a role that endeared her to young audiences nationwide. She went on to become a household name as Grace Sullivan in the wartime drama The Sullivans, which aired from 1976 to 1983 and remains a cherished part of Australian TV history.
Her talent didn’t stop there. Bayly starred as solicitor Jennifer Carson in Carson’s Law, a role written especially for her and which earned her further acclaim. Across her long and varied career, she also appeared on screen in The Man From Snowy River, Fatty Finn and guest roles on shows like Neighbours.
Beyond television, Bayly’s passion for performance saw her shine in more than 50 theatre productions, with one of her final stage appearances in The Sound of Music in 2016. Colleagues and fans alike remember her not only for her immense talent but for her warmth, generosity and enduring spirit.
Her death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from admirers and fellow performers, who celebrate Bayly not just as a screen legend but as an extraordinary human being whose work enriched Australian culture for decades.
She is survived by her nephew and his family, who shared that after years of health challenges, Bayly is now “off onto her next wild adventure”.
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