A Country Practice and Neighbours star Joan Sydney dies aged 83 

Beloved Australian actress Joan Sydney has died at age 83.

The star of A Country Practice and Neighbours passed away peacefully according to friend and colleague Sally-Anne Upton. 

Sydney had a long career on TV, stage and radio that spanned more than 50 years. 

Beloved Australian actress Joan Sydney has died at age 83. Pictured

She was born in London in 1939, and was the older sister of stage and screen actress Maggie King.

Sydney made her screen debut in the 1957 film version of the English play When We Are Married at age 18 and emigrated to Perth in 1965 before moving to Sydney.

It was her turn as Matron Sloane, the no-nonsense matron of Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital on A Country Practice that would turn her into a household name.

The acclaimed actress would go on to star in more than 453 episodes of the beloved drama between 1983–1990, 

It was her turn as Matron Sloane, the no-nonsense matron of Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital on A Country Practice that would turn her into a household name. The acclaimed actress would go on to star in more than 453 episodes of the beloved drama between 1983–1990

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Sydney won the Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress for her performance in 1989. 

Sydney would go on to star as Mary Patchett in E Street, Mary Price in All Saints and Valda Sheergold in Neighbours. 

Her Neighbours role was initially semi-regular, before Sydney was made a permanent member of the cast on the 2007–2008 season.

Sydney won the Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress for her performance in 1989. Pictured with A Country Practice star Lorrae Desmond

Her other TV credits included Mother and Son, Something In the Air and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

While her many stage credits throughout her stellar career included  My Fair Lady, Equus, Hello Dolly, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Waiting for Goddot and The Importance of Being Ernest.

She also starred in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and a stage version of Are You Being Served? 

Sydney would go on to star as Mary Patchett in E Street, Mary Price in All Saints and Valda Sheergold in Neighbours (pictured) 

Tributes to the great actress flooded social media after news of her passing. 

‘Oh no… This is terrible news indeed. Comedy is never as easy as it looks and this lady made it look effortless. I adored her. Vale Joan Sydney,’ wrote A Country Practice star Shane Withington. 

‘I adored Joan Sydney as Matron Sloan on A Country Practice. She could do wit or knock-your-socks-off drama effortlessly. So many memories for a generation, that was the power of TV in those years of the ‘80s and early ‘90s. I’m very sad. RIP,’ wrote one fan.