Veteran radio broadcaster Graeme Moody has died in a surfing accident in Australia, a day before he was due to fly home.



The Wellington-based sports reporter drowned while surfing off the far north coast of New South Wales about 2.45pm NZT yesterday.



Other surfers saw he was in trouble and brought him ashore unconscious.



Paramedics tried to revive him but he died at Angourie Beach, near Yamba.



His distinctive voice would be sorely missed by loyal listeners throughout the country, friend and fellow sports broadcaster Bryan Waddle told The Dominion Post last night.



"It's a massive shock because it just came out of the blue and he was happy doing something that he really loved. Every year he went to Australia for a holiday with his wife Bev."



The Wellington couple, who did not have children, were due to fly back today after a month-long trip to warmer waters.



Waddle said Moody was an easygoing man who loved life and having people around him.



"If there was any mischief to be a part of he was part of it. There's a lot of little things that probably aren't printable."



Moody was a sports reporter and commentator on NewsTalk ZB for 35 years covering major events, including the Olympic Games, rugby world cups, Commonwealth Games and America's Cup yachting.



He spent the 1990s commentating and travelling with the All Blacks but got sick of being away from home, he told the Wellingtonian newspaper last year.



"The touring life is a real limbo-land, airports, hotels, training, matches. It's quite a lonely existence," he said.



He relayed the devastating 1995 Rugby World Cup final from Ellis Park, which saw the All Blacks beaten by South Africa.



"It was a totally draining, almost surreal experience."



The Wellington College old-boy celebrated his 60th birthday last week.



"He biked to work every day. He looked like a 40-year-old.", Newstalk ZB Wellington operations manager Jason Pine said.



He described "Moodz" as an unassuming and humble bloke who was well liked and respected in all facets of his life.



"He had three loves; his wife Bev, surfing and rugby. It just won't be the same without him. He was just so universally loved. He's just synonymous with rugby in particular."



He was lined up to cover the upcoming Rugby World Cup tournament.



"He just had an ability to paint a picture for an audience. He was able to bring excitement into things at the right time. He was just an absolute shining light in our office and is someone who will be missed terribly."

Veteran sport broadcaster Keith Quinn and All Black coach Graham Henry have also paid tribute to Moody.

Quinn described him as a "lovely, friendly, gentle, open man".

"He was a simple man in the true sense of the word.

"He loved his wife, and then sports and his work after that."

Mood was an avid football player in his day, before moving on to cycling and surfing later in life, Quinn said.

"He was very committed to his fitness, which makes this all the more tragic."

Moody was the kind of person no one ever hated, he said.

Quinn credited his friend's rugby broadcasting success to his love of the game.

Henry says he was saddened to hear of the commentator passing.



"He's a top bloke, we've always enjoyed chatting about the game with him and he's highly respected in his job. But more importantly - he's a good man and people enjoyed being with him."

Chief executive of the Radio Broadcasters Association Bill Francis paid tribute to a journalist who always treated subjects with fairness and balance.

Moody was always a favourite with his audience and he also won the respect of the people he commentated on because they knew he understood the game, Francis said.

The New Zealand Rugby Union's chief executive Steve Tew expressed his condolences on behalf of the rugby union after hearing the news of Moody's death.

"Moody has been a stalwart on our airwaves for many years and his voice has become synonymous with rugby in this country," Tew said.



"He brought rugby games to life on the radio with his passionate and colourful broadcasting style and his contribution to the game in this country has been immense.



"He will be sorely missed."

Moody's career highlight was reporting on the 1981 Springbok tour for Radio New Zealand.



"What a winter that was," he told The Wellingtonian.

"I was against the tour, but that opinion swung sometimes when I saw some of the things the protesters were doing. Overall though, you had to say it was bad for New Zealand - and rugby - and shouldn't have gone ahead."

After studying journalism at Wellington Polytech in 1971, he began his career at The Whakatane Beacon before switching to radio. His first stint on air was with Radio 1XX.

He then went to Australia for a year to surf and returned to Wellington in 1973 were he met his wife Bev, who was training to be a teacher.



Moody also trained to be a teacher and spent three years primary school teaching in Auckland.



But he reverted back to his passion as a newshound.

Moody's death came just a week after his Wellington Polytechnic journalism tutor, Christine Cole-Catley, died in Auckland.