Morecroft presented ABC's 7pm news bulletin from 1983 to 2002. He also hosted the quiz show Letters and Numbers on SBS and the children's current affairs program Behind the News on ABC.
A statement shared on his Instagram account confirmed his death on Tuesday night, saying he died "at a time of his choosing, on the south coast of NSW." The statement added: "He was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and was grateful to go peacefully, with his partner of 36 years, Alison Mackay, beside him."
Morecroft moved from England to Adelaide with his family at age 10. He studied English and drama at the University of Adelaide and worked at the university radio station before joining the ABC.
Tributes have flowed from colleagues. Australian Story presenter Leigh Sales described Morecroft as a "gentle man" and "pure class in every way." She recalled that when she started as a junior reporter in the Sydney newsroom, he went out of his way to welcome her. "Just an absolutely divine human being," she said.
ABC managing director Hugh Marks called Morecroft "one of the great broadcasters of his generation." "His intelligence, warmth and professionalism, beamed into homes across Australia for almost two decades, made him a trusted presence in the lives of Australians and an enduring part of the ABC's history," Marks said.
ABC NSW 7pm News presenter Jeremy Fernandez said Morecroft was "as affable, generous, and clever as he appeared on-air" and "a model of how to wear success and popularity with grace and humility."
Morecroft is survived by his partner Alison Mackay.