Mr Fife, 88, died in Canberra on Thursday after recent poor health.

Yesterday Tim Fischer and Sussan Ley, who followed Mr Fife as Farrer MPs, praised the former minister.

“His greatest legacy in my view is the creation of the dynamic Charles Sturt University, which I give him full credit for,” Mr Fischer said.

“Wal Fife combined with (inaugural vice-chancellor) Dr Cliff Blake and others to see it was a success and his family can be very proud of his endeavours over many fronts.”

Ms Ley in 2001 became the first Liberal since Mr Fife to represent Farrer following the retirement of the National Party’s Mr Fischer.

“He was very supportive of me in my campaign and was confident the seat could go back to the Liberal Party,” Ms Ley said.

“At the time there wasn’t a huge amount of support for the Liberals in Farrer but he was part of that and he was delighted when it went back to blue from green.”

Mr Fife became the youngest person to be elected to the NSW parliament when he became member for Wagga in 1957.

After holding various state ministries, Mr Fife entered federal politics in 1975, winning Farrer which then contained Albury and Wagga.

He was education minister for 2½ years and also held the aviation and consumer affairs portfolios in the Fraser government.

After Wagga was removed from Farrer, he continued as the member for Hume before retiring in 1993 following Coalition ructions.

“When I left federal parliament I was the longest-serving member of any parliament in Australia,” Mr Fife told The Border Mail in 1993.

“A chap said to me today that I walked through a minefield and I came through virtually unscathed – I am very proud of that.

“I modelled myself to be a good, local member and a capable administrator.”

Mr Fife married Marcia in May 1952 and they had two daughters and two sons.

His funeral is expected to be held at a Wagga church late next week.