Lisa Millar to farewell ABC News Breakfast in August

Lisa Millar has announced she is farewelling the News Breakfast couch after five years in the role, to focus on other projects across the ABC.

The accomplished journalist and presenter said she would finish up with the flagship morning news program on Friday, August 23.

"What a blast the past five years has been, whether it was interviewing prime ministers and global thought leaders or getting karaoke encouragement from my childhood idol Gladys Knight,'' Millar said.

After more than three decades with ABC News, covering major events including the Black Summer bushfires, the death of Queen Elizabeth II and numerous elections, Millar says she is excited to be telling new stories.

Lisa Millar pictured as a young journalist.(ABC News)

"I'm going to be having more adventures with Back Roads and Muster Dogs. Muster Dogs keeps getting bigger and bigger. So much to do, and exciting new projects. That means it's goodbye," she said when announcing the move on-air.

With a journalism career spanning more than 35 years, Millar joined the ABC in 1993 and went on to establish herself as one of the finest journalists in the country.

Prior to joining the News Breakfast couch, she enjoyed a storied career overseas, leaving her mark as one of the ABC's longest-serving foreign correspondents.

She served as bureau chief in both the US and Europe, covering periods of both extraordinary global turmoil and major celebration.

Lisa Millar has been co-presenting News Breakfast for five years.(ABC News)

While she's excited about her new opportunities, she will miss the early-morning wake-ups and the wider News Breakfast family.

"Most importantly, I want to thank our viewers who brought me into their homes and lives every morning. I've loved sharing breakfast with you all."

The next chapter in Millar's career will focus in particular on one special project, Muster Dogs.

When Millar first started the show, she almost left before the first season even went to air as the role was so different from anything she had done before.

Millar said Muster Dogs was a huge change from presenting.(ABC News)

Yet sticking with it — not only for that first series, but another one — is one of the most incredible parts of her career, she says.

And one she is very happy to continue.

When the first series of Muster Dogs premiered at the beginning of 2023, it was an instant hit and became the ABC's top-rating non-kids program.

Now the show has been nominated for the 2024 Best Structured Reality Program Logie award.

Director of News Justin Stevens commended Lisa Millar's work a journalist and broadcaster and her contribution to ABC News over the past three decades.

"Lisa Millar is a superb journalist and broadcaster who personifies the very best values and attributes of ABC journalists," he said.

Stevens added Millar's work as co-host of the flagship daily news program has been "fantastic".

"While we're sad to lose her from News, I'm excited to see her take up this opportunity and continue to go from strength to strength at the ABC."

She covered periods of extraordinary global turmoil.(ABC News)

"She's done a fantastic job presenting News Breakfast over the past five years — one of the toughest jobs in Australian TV," he added.

"The relentless hours never impeded her incredible warmth and energy, or her passion for delivering the best program for the audience."

ABC chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor said that Millar was an "ABC legend".

"She has done just about everything there is to do in news journalism," he said.

Reporting in the era of big hair and big shoulder pads, Lisa Millar records a radio story.(Supplied)

Former ABC TV News editor Tim Ayliffe congratulated Lisa on her new role and her work so far.

"Five years of getting up at that time and doing this huge show is just awesome," he said.

"The body of work you have got behind you in news … is a huge achievement."