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Tributes flow for Colin Thiele

Colin Thiele has died aged 85 (file photo).ABC Radio National

Premier Mike Rann says Colin Thiele will be remembered as one of South Australia's greatest writers.

The author of the children's book Storm Boy passed away in a Brisbane hospital aged 85, after complications with a heart condition.

Mr Rann says Thiele made a great contribution to Australian literature.

"Beyond Storm Boy, Colin actually wrote more than 100 books, not just for children but in the area of history, poetry, he did biographies, he wrote about the environment, he was a very committed environmentalist," he said.

Close friend Max Fatchen says Thiele helped to develop children's literature.

"He is one of the great stars of Australia's literary firmament. He's one of the greatest friends children had ever had," he said.

Thiele was born in Eudunda in South Australia in 1920.

He later taught English in high schools and colleges.

Thiele's eldest daughter Jan Minge says her father touched the lives of many people and will be sorely missed.

"I think the teachers of South Australia have loved him for years, the people he worked with at teachers college, because he was principal of his teachers college," she said.

"A lot of librarians loved him probably from his writing Storm Boy.

"[It] would be the book he's most known and [it] has never been out of print."

Thiele is survived by his wife, two children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.