A State funeral is expected to be held for former Boorowa grazier, Ian Armstrong, whose 25-year career in NSW politics included solid stints as Agriculture Minister, Nationals leader and Deputy Premier.
Mr Armstrong, who shot to prominence in the 1970s as a cocky, straight talking campaigner in the Cattlemen's Union of Australia, died on Wednesday aged 83.
He had served in the NSW Parliament as the Cowra-based Member for Lachlan between 1981 and 2007, and for five years was Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister until 1993.
He was responsible for relocating the then NSW Agriculture department's head office from central Sydney's McKell Building to Orange in 1992, in what was to be the largest decentralisation project undertaken by a government.
Between 1993 until 1995 he was Minister for Ports and Public Works and Deputy Premier to Liberal and Coalition Government leader John Fahey, who died in September.
The NSW government announced his death, describing Mr Armstrong as embodying what it was to be a rural advocate.
Current deputy Nationals leader and Member for Bathurst Paul Toole paid tribute to the popular former MP saying he was remembered as a passionate advocate for rural and regional NSW, and a fine gentleman who would be missed, particularly across Central West NSW where he was best known.
"Ian Armstrong was a true champion for the bush," Mr Toole said.
"It took hours to walk through a room with Ian - he knew everyone and, more importantly, cared about the issues that mattered to them.
"A giant of the Nats, he knew what it took to make regional economies hum and fought to make it a reality, creating jobs in the regions and advocating for stronger connections over the mountains to the Central West."
Mr Armstrong's agri-political career had begun on the family wool and beef property at Boorowa on the South West Slopes after he returned home from a period working in northern Australia soon after leaving Sydney's Newington College in 1953.
He moved to Cowra to campaign for and win the newly-created seat of Lachlan in 1981, after Member for Young, George Freudenstein, opted to retire after 22 years when his electorate was broken up.
Mr Armstrong was, in fact, the only Member for Lachlan, as the state electorate was abolished in another redistribution when he stood down in 2007.
After succeeding Wal Murray in 1993, his seven years as NSW Nationals leader ended abruptly with Upper Hunter MP George Souris taking the top job in an unexpected leadership spill two months before the State election, the same day Liberal and Opposition leader Peter Collins was also deposed by Kerry Chikarovski.
After leaving parliament he worked in retirement as a consultant and advisor to business, community groups and government, including becoming the inaugural chairman of Central Tablelands Local Land Services.
The state government's official statement also paid tribute to Mr Armstrong's work in regional communities.
"Ian will be dearly missed and his tireless work for the people of NSW and to the NSW Nationals will live on forever."
Mr Armstrong's services to agriculture, the NSW Parliament and the community were recognised in Queens Birthday Honours in 1978 and 2009 when he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and a Member of the Order of Australia (OA).
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