Our Story Timeline

The establishment of a dedicated 24 hour phone line, the Funeral Advice Line (FAL) in 2000.

“The Funeral Advice Line plays an integral role in the day to day operations of Tobin Brothers Funerals. The FAL is essentially the “front line” when client families call us and often the first thing they will say is “we have never done this before”. It is our role to guide the family through the process and provide them with the care and support they are looking for.

By the end of the phone call, which can last anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes, it is our hope that we have provided the caller with the peace of mind of knowing that they have made the right choice by engaging Tobin Brothers Funerals. We often handle over 600 calls a day and it takes a degree of level headed thinking, composure and genuine empathy for our client families and colleagues. Grief can bring out many different emotions in people and our staff must have the ability to understand this”. – Mandy Wallis, former Funeral Communications Centre Manager.

Tobin Brothers Funerals acquired Abbey Funerals in Thomastown.

The Funeral of Ronald Patrick (Ron) Casey AM MBE in 2000 with Leo T Tobin and Michael Tobin leading the procession.

Tobin Brothers Funerals launches an Asian Funerals division headed by Ha Nguyen to accommodate the cultural and religious needs of the Vietnamese community, and many other Asian communities.

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)

The Funeral of Edward James (Ted) Whitten, St Patrick’s Cathedral, in August 1995

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).