Key Points
- A state memorial service will be held for Olivia Newton-John in Melbourne on 26 February.
- The Australian singer, actor and entertainer died last year aged 73.
- The service will be open to the public and is a free ticketed event.
A state memorial service for Australian singer, songwriter and activist for Sunday 26 February in Melbourne.
The 73-year-old died on 8 August at her home in Southern California after a long battle with breast cancer.
After her death, her family announced they had accepted the offer of a state memorial service, but no further details were announced.
Here's how Australia will officially farewell one of the country's most well-known entertainers.
What do we know about the memorial?
The free, ticketed service will be held at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, with doors opening at 3pm for a 4pm start.
It will feature tributes from family and friends and singer Delta Goodrem, who played Newton-John in a 2018 miniseries, is scheduled to perform.
The free tickets must be booked in advance via Arts Centre Melbourne, with registrations opening at 12pm (AEDT) on Friday 10 February.
The state service will also be live-streamed by the Victorian government.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews hailed Newton-John as a hero for her contributions to the arts and philanthropy.
"Dame Olivia Newton-John was an inspiration to many around the world,'' he said.
"Her work in cancer research and treatment saved lives and changed lives, and her music was the soundtrack to a generation.
"We know Victorians are eager to celebrate the life of a driving force in medical research and an icon of film and music, with a service befitting her international acclaim."
Who was Olivia Newton-John?
Olivia Newton-John was born in England, and emigrated to Melbourne with her family as a child.
Newton-John was best known for her role as Sandy Olsson in the 1978 box office hit Grease, which she starred in opposite John Travolta.
Olivia Newton-John starred opposite John Travolta in Grease in 1978. Credit: Rights Managed/Mary Evans
In 1979 she was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) and in 1981 she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2002, and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (OA) in 2006.
Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer three times and underwent chemotherapy, a mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery.
She established the Olivia Newton-John Foundation to fund cancer research and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, which supports people living with the disease.
She was also an advocate for environmental and animal rights causes.
