Stone the crows! Home and Away's Alf finally wins

Ray Meagher poses with his Gold Logie award. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - After a TV career spanning 40 years, Ray Meagher finally has a Gold Logie.

The veteran Home and Away star triumphed over Packed to the Rafters star Rebecca Gibney to take the coveted Gold at the 2010 awards.

Meagher had been the odds-on favourite, as well as the sentimental favourite, going into the Logies, but many still backed last year's winner Gibney for the top gong.

A beaming Meagher appeared emotional as he took to the stage.

"These things have never meant much to me over the years, really, mainly because I've never held one," Meagher said.

"All of a sudden they seem unbelievably important."

It's Meagher's first Logie win in a career that has including 22 years playing the lovable Alf Stewart on Network Seven soapie Home and Away.

Meagher thanked his huge online fan base, even though he didn't understand the technology.

"I hear there's a thing called Facebook and a thing called Twitter - I thought it was a bird-watching thing," Meagher said.

He said he hadn't won anything since a 1975 chook raffle, which he organised and drew.

"It's been a long time between drinks."

He also beat his Home and Away co-star Esther Anderson, Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation's Shaun Micallef, Good News Week's Paul McDermott, Rove McManus, and the ABC's Wil Anderson and Adam Hills.

Veteran TV presenter Bert Newton couldn't hide his feelings about the winner.

"I have had the opportunity, over the years, to present many Gold Logies," he said.

"None have given me more joy than to present this to Ray Meagher."

- AAP