Journalist Morgan Mellish died doing what he loved, a memorial service for the Garuda plane crash victim has been told.
Friends, family and colleagues in the media today remembered The Australian Financial Review journalist, who was one of five Australians killed when a Garuda Airlines plane caught fire on landing at Yogyakarta airport in Indonesia on March 7.
The Reverend Dominic Steele, from Christians in the Media, spoke of the grief many were suffering when he spoke at the service at St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral in Sydney.
"He died doing what he loved," Mr Steele said of the journalist, who was covering an Australian ministerial visit to Indonesia when he was killed.
He recalled a comment Mr Mellish had made to his mother when he was growing up.
"He said, 'Mum, I want to live as close to the edge as I can without falling off.' ''
Earlier, in a eulogy, childhood friend Ben Hunter remembered "a loving son, caring brother, fantastic uncle".
"The life of a foreign correspondent was full of excitement and adventure, and it was for Morgan," he said of the friend he called "Morgs".
"We will miss him as a mate, his smile and his determination to make the most of everything."
A series of photographs of Mr Mellish with family and friends was displayed on large screens as mourners entered the cathedral.
Mr Mellish's girlfriend, Nila Tanzil, sat with Mr Mellish's parents and sisters throughout the service.
Federal Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey, Deputy Opposition Leader Julia Gillard, Federal MP Bruce Baird, Rod Smith from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trading and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty also attended the service.
Several other friends were due to speak at a morning tea after the service.
Mr Mellish was also remembered in Federal Parliament yesterday as a larrikin Aussie who revelled in his work.
In a series of tributes to victims of the crash, Parliament was told Mr Mellish was living his dream of being a foreign correspondent as The Australian Financial Review's Jakarta bureau chief, and in 2006 won a Walkley Award - another of his goals.
Funerals have already been held for Australian Federal Police agents Brice Steele and Mark Scott, diplomat Liz O'Neill and AusAID's Allison Sudradjat.
AAP
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