The statue of the Country Party leader, who was PM for 23 days upon the death of Harold Holt, was unveiled by Governor-General David Hurley on Friday.

It sits on a mosaic representing regional Australia and stands near Old Parliament House in Canberra.

MPs belonging to today's incarnation of the Country Party, the Nationals, massed for the occasion, a part of centenary celebrations for the organisation.

They included Wodonga senator Bridget McKenzie, whose book John McEwen: Right man, right place, right time? was launched by political journalist Paul Kelly on Thursday.

The work followed publisher Connor Court asking her in autumn to write a biography of a Country Party prime minister.

"For me his work in the trade area stood him apart," Senator McKenzie said.

"He not only industrialised Australia, he opened up our immigration and built our manufacturing sector, he also secured our role internationally as a trading market and got us away from Britain."

Senator McKenzie hopes to have an event at Chiltern in the new year to promote her $24.95 book which includes reflections from former prime minister John Howard.

McEwen's focus on exports and farming is reflected in the statue which faces toward the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade headquarters.

Mr Hurley said McEwen, who lead the Country Party from 1958 to 1971 and was nicknamed Black Jack for his stern demenour, was a significant figure of Australia's recent history.

"As a former prime minister, it's appropriate that this statue of his joins the growing number of such statues in the parliamentary triangle," Mr Hurley said.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and former federal Riverina MP Kay Hull also witnessed the unveiling.

The project cost around $500,000 with the bronze cast the work of sculptor Lis Johnson who made a statue of Victoria Cross recipient Alby Lowerson erected at Myrtleford in 2015.