Hugh Cornish, first person on Qld television, dies

Queensland has lost a “burning star’’ with the death of media legend, Hugh Cornish, the first person on Queensland television.

Hugh Cornish has died in Brisbane, aged 90.

Queensland has lost a “burning star’’ with the death of media legend, Hugh Cornish, the first person on Queensland television.

Mr Cornish, who was a resident at the Renaissance Retirement Village at Victoria Point, died this week aged 90.

Mr Cornish has been described by his family as a loving father and grandfather and ‘the greatest gentleman you could ever hope to meet’

Mr Cornish delivered the first Queensland Channel 9 television broadcast from Mt Coot-tha on August 16, 1959, a Sunday night.

“Good evening Brisbane, welcome to television,’’ he reportedly said (apparently no tape exists) before the station aired the state’s first television news story about the Royal visit of Princess Alexandria which had kicked off in Canberra but was making its way to Queensland.

Hugh Cornish, on the right, was the first man on Queensland television and was called back in 2013 to turn off analog television service.

Three years previously Bruce Gyngell had declared to the nation: “Good evening and welcome to television.’’

But it was Mr Cornish who kicked off the Queensland television industry up on the mountain where it still thrives today.

When analog television signals were switched off on May 28, 2013, it was also Mr Cornish who was called back to the station to officially switch off the transmission signal.

Cornish was also a successful media executive.

In the more than half century between those two dates Mr Cornish was the host of a talent and tonight show, a successful media executive, talented piano player and fundraiser for charities with a tally reaching into the millions of dollars.

His son Tim Cornish said on a social media post that his dad had achieved the longest ratings success ever as a program manager.

Mr Cornish was also a footy coach, a loving husband and father, a grandfather and “the greatest gentleman you could ever hope to meet,’’ his son said.

“Last night we lost one of the remaining burning stars,’’ Tim wrote.