Melody Iliffe

Iliffe is best remembered for becoming the first woman to co-anchor a prime time news bulletin on Australian television after she was chosen to read the 6pm news alongside Don Seccombe on QTQ-9 in Brisbane in 1964.^[1] Welsh had previously been a production assistant on the station's children's program The Channel Niners hosted by "Captain" Jim Iliffe.^[1]

She married Jim Iliffe in 1964.^[1] They had three children, including David who is now a media veteran himself and a long serving breakfast presenter on ABC Southern Queensland in Toowoomba.^[4]

Although she kept a low profile after her marriage, Melody Iliffe regularly appeared in television commercials for Brisbane-based electrical good retailer Chandlers throughout the 1980's.^[5] She also co-hosted QTQ-9's 25th anniversary of Queensland television broadcast in 1984 and appeared at the station's 50th anniversary celebration in 2009.^[5][3]

Jim Iliffe died in 2005.^[6] Melody Illife died on 21 September 2017.^[7] A funeral service was held for her at St Andrew's Anglican Church in Indooroopilly on 29 September 2017.^[7] At the time of her death, she had eight grandchildren.^[7]

The achievement of being the first female newsreader in Australia was recognised at the Logie Awards of 1965 when Welsh was presented with a special Logie Award for "acknowledged ability, in a man's domain."^[2]