Timothy Andrew Fischer was born on 3rd May 1946 in Lockhart in the New South Wales Riverina. His love of trains began when he was a small boy and it has become a lifelong passion. As Tim says, he has woven his lifelong study of rail in with his various careers, from farmer to army officer, from State politician to Australian Deputy Prime Minister.

Conscripted into the Army in 1966, he was an officer, a platoon commander and transport officer in Australia and Vietnam from 1966 to 1969. He became a member of the NSW Parliament in 1971 when he won the seat of Sturt for the then Country Party. In 1980 he won the NSW seat of Murray for the National Party (formerly the Country Party). After a 13 year career in State politics Mr Fischer went into Federal politics in 1984 when he won the federal seat of Farrer for the National Party. He became Leader of the party in 1990. Tim Fischer was Deputy Prime Minister of Australia from 1996 to 1999.

In July 1999 he announced his resignation as National Party Leader, Trade Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He retired in 2001 to spend more time with his family. Since leaving Federal Politics he has taken on a wide range of roles and responsibilities.

On July 21st, 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced Tim Fischer would be the resident Ambassador to the Holy See in Rome. Mr Fischer will take up the position in January 2009. In April 2008 he was co-chair for the rural section of the Australian 20/20 Summit. In November 2007, he was appointed National Chairman of the Flying Doctor Service. In June 2007 Mr Fischer completed a three-year term as Chairman of Tourism Australia. He was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2005. In 2004 the South Australian government appointed him Special Envoy for the Adelaide to Darwin railway.

Tim passed away in August 2019, aged 73.