FANS and friends have paid tribute to Melbourne breakfast radio host Richard Marsland, who was found dead in his car on a lonely stretch of road in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges.
A park ranger raised the alarm after finding the 32-year-old's body in his car at Shiprock Falls around 10.30am (AEDT) on Saturday but despite police resuscitation efforts, Marsland was later pronounced dead.
Victoria Police said an investigation had been launched and a brief would be passed to the state coroner but there were no suspicious circumstances.
By Sunday, fans had flooded the website of Triple M, where Marsland co-hosted the breakfast program with Pete Helliar and Myf Warhurst.
"Absolutely gutted to hear about Richard's passing. My wife and I had met him at Triple M earlier this year and we greatly admired him," one fan wrote.
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"He's definitely going to be missed on morning radio and his influence around the station will reach deeper than that."
Another fan wrote: "I am one of the very fortunate people to have been lucky enough to enjoy Rich's witty, intelligent and good natured humour over the past few years as I have listened to Triple M radio.
"Most recently, while sharing my morning with Pete and Myf, I have thought that Rich should have shared top billing, such was his incredible talent and amazingly quick and unfailingly funny one-liners."
Marsland began his radio career in Adelaide on the SAFM breakfast show with Greg Fleet, Marty Sheargold and James Brayshaw before co-hosting the daily morning program AM Adelaide on Channel 7, Adelaide.
He went on to host The Late Date Show nationally with Bessie Bardot on 2DayFM, 92.9 and FoxFM, and more recently, also wrote for SBS news entertainment show Newstopia and the Ten Network's Rove Live.
Triple M breakfast show co-host Helliar paid tribute to Marsland, who he described as "a great writer, a great performer and a great friend".
"It is heartbreaking to think that we won't see him again and we can only begin to imagine how hard this must be for his family."
Austereo Melbourne general manager Ben Amarfio expressed the station's sadness at Marsland's death.
"Everyone he worked with was impressed with his professionalism and dedication and he had an extremely bright future ahead of him," Mr Amarfio said in a statement.
COLLEAGUES SHOCKED
Adelaide TV personality Anne Wills co-hosted Seven's AM Adelaide with Marsland for six months before the show was axed in 2003.
She said she was "shocked" by his death and said his passing would leave a "huge hole" in her life.
"I never worked with someone who made me belly laugh so much," the multi-logie winning entertainer said.
"I think the entertainment industry in Australia has lost a great talent.
"The minute I worked with him I thought `What an absolute talent', he reminded me of a young Ernie Sigley.
"I for one will miss him dreadfully and I can't believe I won't see his silly smiling face."
Marsland wrote for Adelaide's the Sunday Mail's Mail Men column and worked alongside some of modern radio's brightest stars including Mick Molloy, Tony Martin, Fifi Box and Hamish and Andy.
FiveAA radio presenter Amanda Blair said Marsland was not only a "comedic genius'' but the "nicest man in radio''.
"There was not one person who said an ill word about Richard," said Blair who worked with Marsland at SA-FM for more than five years.
"Everyone is shattered, he's just a wonderful human being it's such a waste. I can't think of enough words to say how much we loved him."
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) or visit
www.beyondblue.org.au.
- with Sunday Mail (SA)