After five years, thousands of coffees, and more early-morning alarms than you could poke a stick at, Lisa Millar is farewelling News Breakfast.
It comes almost exactly five years to the day since she started as the flagship morning news show's co-host, alongside Michael Rowland, on August 19, 2019.
Since then, Millar has reported on and presented news on major events including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Summer bushfires, Queen Elizabeth II's death, devastating flooding in Lismore, numerous elections and countless more stories from Australia and abroad.
Connecting with the audience and forming a rapport is part of the Breakfast brief, and Millar says that's one aspect she'll remember most.
"I just want to say thank to so many people who messaged me personally who we interviewed over the years," she said on her final day on the program.
"I want to give a shout-out to Mick, whose mum passed away from COVID during that period."
"Mick said, when he came on the program and he chatted to us from his home, he felt like he was talking to an old friend."
"It's just been lovely to get those comments. Thank you."
When she hangs up the microphone on Friday it'll also mark the end of her esteemed 35-year news career, in which she has left her mark as one of the ABC's longest-serving foreign correspondents.
Kicking off her journalism career at the Gympie Times in 1988, Millar joined the ABC in 1993 and went on to establish herself as one of the finest journalists in the country.
Prior to joining News Breakfast in 2019, she enjoyed a storied career overseas, serving as bureau chief in both the US and Europe, where she covered a wide range of stories, from extraordinary global turmoil to major celebrations.
In 2021, her memoir Daring to Fly was published – charting her path from a childhood in Kilkivan, rural Queensland, to foreign correspondent and national broadcasting.
Over the years on News Breakfast, Millar has interviewed politicians, pop stars, Olympians – even her childhood idol, legendary soul singer Gladys Knight.
"In 35 years of journalism I've never done anything so exciting, unpredictable, and fun," she said.
"It's only worked because of the awesome team in front of the cameras and behind the scenes who kept me laughing."
Millar is staying on as a presenter at the ABC – switching her focus and her talents over to Muster Dogs and Back Roads.
"I'm excited to hit the road and discover more of the incredible stories that make up the remarkable tapestry of our culture," she said.
"There are so many adventures ahead, whether it be with Back Roads, Muster Dogs, or new projects we're cooking up. What a privilege it is to be a part of that future."
Breakfast television certainly isn't for the faint-hearted – the producers start rolling into the newsroom at 2am, with the presenters following soon after that.
But as the production team will attest, Millar would arrive at the studio every morning with a positive attitude, greeting the team with a smile, and always available for a chat.
"I could not have done it without you all," she said.
"Everyone will be back on Monday! I'll be heading off on Muster Dogs and Back roads worlds. But keep watching, because this is an awesome team."
"I've loved sharing breakfast with you all."
Watch Lisa's last day on News Breakfast from 6am AEST, Friday, August 23, on ABC NEWS and ABC iview.
