A Country Practice and Neighbors star Joan Sydney dies aged 83

Popular Australian actress Joan Sydney has died at the age of 83.

The A Country Practice and Neighbors star has passed away peacefully, according to friend and colleague Sally-Anne Upton.

Sydney had a long career on television, stage and radio, spanning more than 50 years.

Beloved Australian actress Joan Sydney has died at the age of 83. In the picture

Born in London in 1939, she 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 aged 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 in A Country Practice that would make her a household name.

The acclaimed actress has starred in more than 453 episodes of the hit drama 1983-1990,

It was her turn as Matron Sloane, the no-nonsense matron of Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital in A Country Practice that would make her a household name. The acclaimed actress starred in more than 453 episodes of the popular drama between 1983 and 1990

Sydney won the 1989 Silver Logie Award for Favorite Actress for her performance.

Sydney later played Mary Patchett in E Street, Mary Price in All Saints and Valda Sheergold in Neighbors.

The role of her neighbors was a semi-regular at first before Sydney was made a permanent member of the cast for the 2007–2008 season.

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

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

Her many stage appearances throughout her distinguished career include My Fair Lady, Equus, Hello Dolly, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Waiting for Goddot and The Importance of Being Ernest.

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

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

Fellow actress Sally-Anne Upton remembered Sydney on Thursday