A voice like a soothing balm: RIP Kate Draper

Kate Draper (far right) with ABC colleagues Shirley Hardy-Rix and Pip O'Donnell. Image: Facebook

The radio industry is today paying tribute to legendary former ABC and 3AW newsreader Kate Draper, who has died following a long illness.

Kate spent many years on the Melbourne desk as both a news presenter and producer.

And her reputation preceded her. Those who didn’t work directly with Kate certainly knew of her. Her subbing prowess was legendary.

Kate was also known for her sassy style and dry sense of humour.

In a social media post, ABC news presenter Mary McDonald said “Kate was one of the funniest, kindest people I knew. She was also the most brilliant sub and mentor.”

“Kate would craft many a messy story into a work of art.”

“She had a calm, quiet way about her and just got on with things without any fuss.”

Former ABC colleague Alicia Byrne said “Kate was the best of the best. Newsrooms can be chaotic places and she was always the calm in a newsroom storm. She taught many people the finer art of subediting a news bulletin with her trademark dry humour and her never ending patience.”

“The first thing you’d see when you arrived for an early shift was Kate’s Vespa out the front of the building. On weekends, she loved going off to ‘the block’ where she looked after her veggie patch. If you were lucky, she’d pop a jar of homemade pesto, with basil from that garden, on your desk when you got to work.”

Kate had many fans of her work, with a listener once describing her soothing, dulcet tones as ‘the best thing since sliced bread.’

“Her calm, unflustered, well-modulated and succinct voice over the airwaves in the morning is indeed a balm for the cacophony of the daily news and shrillness of others.”

Image: Facebook