In 1999 and again in 2004, in recognition of its commitment to family business best practice, Tobin Brothers Funeral Directors received FBA’s Family Business of the Year Award (Third Generation Category).
Tobin Brothers Funerals is later inducted into the ‘Family Business Australia Victoria Hall of Fame’ in 2013.
Tobin Brothers Funerals launches a Greek Funerals division headed by Nick Kourtessis to accommodate the needs of our growing Greek community.
Tobin Brothers Funerals proudly supports many community groups and events to strengthen community ties and be consistently active in their networks.
In October 1998, Tobin Brothers Funerals, in partnership with Greening Australia, Parks Victoria and Melbourne Water, launched a new memorial program called Tribute Trees. Twice yearly, at the Upper Yarra Reservoir Park in Autumn and Spring, bereaved families were invited to attend a memorial service and to plant indigenous trees, shrubs and grasses in memory of their loved ones.
When the program concluded after thirteen years in October 2011, close to 15,000 people had planted more than 35,000 Tribute Trees in an area of 2.75 hectares and in so doing had made an important contribution to the environment.
Martin Tobin succeeds his father Des as Managing Director in 1998
(pictured in the Board of Directors in 1999)
On 21st February 1995, Tobin Brothers Funerals opened its ‘Legacy of Life’ Chapel in Sunshine in the old fire station building on Hampshire Road, strengthening the family’s long term links with the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade. The Tobin Brothers, Leo and Phonse, who started the business were actually members of the fire brigade while they ‘moonlighted’ making coffins so this was a significant turn of events. The old brass fire hat of Leo Tobin sits in the Tobin Brothers Museum today.
(On 15th January 2026, Tobin Brothers closed the Sunshine Branch location, concluding 30 years of operation at this site).
Tobin Brothers Werribee Chapel opened on 12th August 1993. A plaque in the Tobin Brothers museum reads:
‘To commemorate the opening of this chapel a time capsule containing company history and records was placed here by Mr Leo J Tobin, a Director of Tobin Brothers PTY LTD on August 12th, 1993’.
The North Melbourne Chapel was renovated and reopened on 1st March 1992 by Alphonsus and Kevin Tobin, in memory of their late brothers and fellow co-founders Leo and Thomas Tobin. The renovation included a new pergola and stained glass windows in the chapel which are still in the chapel today.
Historically, the funeral industry had been the sacrosanct domain of men but all that changed in 1990 with the launch of Frances Tobin & Associates. Tobin Brothers Funerals became the first company in Melbourne to offer funeral services provided exclusively by women. Now known as Frances Tobin Funerals by Women, it is led by a third generation member of the Tobin family, Frances Tobin:
“Women are traditionally recognised for their ability to nurture, support and care for others and I believe it’s these qualities together with developing empathy through listening and open-ended communication that are the natural strengths of women.” – Frances Tobin
The first funeral conducted by Tobin Brothers Funerals was for Ena Margaret Price in 1934. In its first year, the company conducted 53 funerals and after the payment of creditors and the collection of debts, it made a modest profit.
