Ian Kiernan's passion for protecting the environment was admirable.
His hearty voice is recognized in most Australian households from decades of colourful television and radio advertisements.
"On Sunday January 8, head to your favourite harbour spot, and together we'll give the harbour a real clean up."
Mr Kiernan died on Tuesday night at the age of 78, after a four-month battle with cancer.
He dedicated thirty-years of his life to tackling pollution, inspiring a national and global movement now known as Clean Up Australia Day.
Its managing Director Terrie-Ann Johnson says staff are heartbroken.
"It's been a wretched journey for him in the last few weeks. And he has been incredibly generous during that time, with spending time with us on passing on what he'd like to do and how he'd like us to do that so I'm very, very grateful to Ian and his family for that. For us this is a momentous day, because it's really hitting home now that he won't be coming back."
Tributes are flowing for Mr Kiernan around the country, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison taking time to pay his respects.
"His passion for our oceans, which started all of this for him and Australia's coastal lifestyle in particular, is something I think struck a real cord with all Australians. And the thing that I think Ian did more than anything else was just tap us all on the shoulder and say hey we got to take care of this, this is our responsibility to do this, it's not governments, it's ours."
The keen yachtsman sailed solo around the world in 1987 - setting an Australian record.
It was that trip that inspired him and his good friend ((ms)) Kim McKay - a fellow environmentalist - to launch a Sydney-based community clean-up event called Clean Up Sydney Harbour.
"It was because of the sport, through the sailing that he became aware of the issue of rubbish and plastics in the world's oceans and he was very dismayed by that, but unlike most of us who would say oh it's a problem, he actually decided to do something about it."
They only expected a few hundred people to take part, but it attracted 40,000.
The next year - the movement went national, transforming into Clean Up Australia Day.
Then it went worldwide in 1993.
Ms McKay says his success came down to his way with people, an ability to connect with those from all walks of life.
"He was the quintessential Aussie bloke at one level - he loved a good beer and a good time but at the same time, he had this deep passion and caring concern for the Australian environment and for our waterways and oceans, and I think that authenticity of care is what's going to be remembered and the fact that he taught us that we could make a difference individually and collectively. He was a remarkable person, there's no doubt about it."
In 1994 Mr Kiernan was named Australian of the year, and appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
He will also be remembered for protecting Prince Charles during a national visit - tackling a man who lunged at the Prince with a starter's pistol, loaded with blanks.
But above all, Ms Johnson - his legacy's manager director - says he will always be thought of as that world-leading environmentalist... right until the very end.
"Ian asked that he didn't want flowers, he said give me flowers while I'm alive, not when I'm dead. So what he wanted was he wanted people to instead donate to Clean Up Australia because that's where his passion lay."
