Queensland Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett presenting Pete Lewis with his award recognising his induction into the Rural Press Club of Queensland Hall of Fame. Picture: Carolyn Martin

Renowned ABC Landline journalist Peter Lewis has today become the seventh member of the Rural Press Club of Queensland Rural Journalism Hall of Fame following a presentation at a National Ag Day lunch event in Brisbane.

Mr Lewis joins an esteemed group of media professionals who have made significant contributions to rural journalism in Queensland, including the late Malcolm McCosker, Robin McConchie, Rod Green, Kerry Lonergan, Pip Courtney, and Beef Central’s Jon Condon.

The Rural Press Club of Queensland constitution stipulates that Hall of Fame inductees must have achieved significant prominence over a period of at least 20 years, contributed an extensive body of published work and made a significant, positive impact on rural and regional Queensland.

Peter Lewis is an award-winning rural journalist who has spent a 40-year professional career sharing stories about the people, industries, and communities of rural and regional Australia across a range of media platforms including newspapers, radio and television news and current affairs.

Clockwise from top left: With the late bush icon RM Williams; receiving an award as a cadet journalist with the Central Coast Express; downtime with an ABC news team; Gaucho mode during a rural and rugby tour of Argentina and an ABC news profile picture.His career began with a cadetship in local newspapers before he joined the national broadcaster ABC, where he worked as a radio and television news and current affairs reporter, covering the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Canberra, three Summer Olympic Games, America’s Cup and Formula One races, and a Papal tour. He also served as an ABC news correspondent in New Zealand.

But it was his two decades with the award-winning ABC Landline rural affairs program – including five years as its Executive Producer- that established his prominence as a highly respected and trusted reporter on issues of importance to regional, rural and remote Australia.

Since retiring from the ABC, Peter has continued his passion for rural story telling as a freelance journalist through his Way with Words consultancy.

In his ‘natural habitat’ as a rural event MC. This picture was taken at a Beef 2015 breakfast, when Peter had just delivered a keynote address on the future of rural media in Queensland. He is pictured taking a question from former Rockhampton State MP Rob Schwarten.

He has also encouraged and mentored many young journalists over his career. He is a former president and life member of the Rural Press Club of Queensland, a former president of the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists and delegate to the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. He is also a former national president of the journalists’ section of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (2010-12).

His journalism has been recognised with numerous awards including a Dunlop national motorsport award, a Eureka Science Prize, Clarion Awards from Queensland journalism and the 2014 Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists’ Award for Excellence in Rural Broadcasting.

Queensland Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett and Queensland Rural Press Club Hall of Fame inductee Peter Lewis

In making today’s presentation on behalf of the Rural Press Club of Queensland committee, president James Nason said Mr Lewis’ 40 year career had left a lasting impact on the Queensland rural media industry.

“Peter’s passion for rural Australia, combined with his extraordinary storytelling skills and leadership, have left an indelible mark,” Mr Nason said

“Peter is a masterful communicator and a journalist who has earned enormous respect for his commitment and dedication to helping to ensure the stories of rural Australia are well told and widely understood.”

“It is with great pride that we honour him as one of the finest rural reporters and storytellers of our time.”