Murray's son Paul paid tribute to his father and mentor.

"He was a legend and a champion bloke and most of all he was my dad," Paul said.

"He lived a long and successful life and won't be quickly forgotten."

Murray trained for more than 50 years and had a stable at Kembla Grange since 1994.

"The club is deeply saddened by the passing of Bede, who was a remarkable trainer and person," Illawarra Turf Club chief executive Peter De Vries said. 

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys rated Murray was one of the best at his craft in NSW and Australia.

"Bede was pound-for-pound one the best trainers in NSW, and given his opportunities to showed that with group 1 winners.

“He was dominant for many years in the country and provincial areas and really longevity is the best measure of great trainers and horseman," V'landys said. 

Racing NSW and Illawarra Turf Club TC will honour Murray's memory at the club's biggest meeting of the year, Classic day on Friday by renaming the $100,000 Provincial Championship heat, the Bede Murray Provincial heat.

"It is best way to recognise Bede's influence on racing," V'landys said.

Murray never left his country roots with his farm at Conjola and stables at Kembla.

"Horses in the country do better as it's closer to their natural environment," he once said.

He enjoyed much of his success at country carnivals and around the provincial circuit but when Murray got a good horse he won the some of the biggest races in the land. 

He trained a champion in Universal Prince, which won four group 1s including an Australian Derby, dual group 1 Victory Vein and a Queensland Derby winner in Half Hennessy. He had international success with Coniston Bluebird in the 2009 New Zealand Derby, his last group 1 win.

His final runner Flash Fibian was runner-up in the Black Opal at Canberra on Sunday.

He was made a life member of the Clarence River Jockey Club last year for his years of contributions to the Grafton carnival and also enjoyed great success at Wagga and Albury.

Murray is survived by wife Edie.

They had three children Brenda, and Paul and Graeme, who are both trainers.

Murray also had eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.