Our Story Timeline

Tobin Brothers has always been recognised as one of the industry’s most prolific innovators; A proud demonstration of that reputation is when the company launched its Fixed Price Funeral Plan in 1984. The creation of the Funeral Plan (under the management of economics graduate Gavan Tobin) came about because of the increasing number of people who were keen to put in place plans for their eventual funerals.

The most attractive aspect of the Fixed Price Funeral Plan is that the price is fixed forever so that even in the event of the purchaser living another ten or twenty years, the cost of the funeral, regardless of inflation, would remain unchanged from the day the contract was signed. A much better alternative to Funeral Insurances.

The appeal of the Fixed Price Funeral Plan quickly became evident. Other companies, critical at first, soon followed suit by introducing similar prepaid schemes; in 1993 all such funeral plans were protected under law by the passing of the Pre-Paid Monies Act in Victoria, this means that even in the event of a funeral company’s closure, the contract will be honoured.

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In commemoration of its 50th year in 1984, members of the Tobin Brothers board, firmly believing it was time to repay Melbourne for its continued loyalty, established The Tobin Brothers Foundation. The purpose of this Foundation was and still is to make annual grants to organisations and individuals whose work could be shown to have “meaningful community benefit”. By 2024, the Foundation had made more than 376 separate monetary gifts totalling approximately $835,000 and these figures continue to grow each and every year.

Tobin Brothers Funerals celebrates 50 years of service.

During the mid-seventies, community attitudes to death and bereavement began changing. People were asking questions about death, dying and funerals they had never asked before. Des Tobin says it was obvious that people wanted answers and so, in 1978, with the assistance of Graeme Griffin, Tobin Brothers Funerals set up its own education and training division headed by former Baptist Minister David Treloar, who was appointed Director of the education division for Tobin Brothers Funerals.

“The work David did in the community not only enhanced the reputation of the Tobin brand, but it really made a major contribution to breaking down a lot of the taboos and fears and the general ignorance in the community about death, dying and bereavement issues. David’s work in this field can’t be too highly praised” – Des Tobin

Tobin Brothers Funerals acquired the much respected Padbury Funerals in 1977 which included its locations at 89 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood (now closed) and 816 Doncaster Road, Doncaster (where Tobin Brothers Funerals remains today).

The company now comprising sixty staff, was conducting approximately three thousand funerals annually and had modern branches operating in seven locations across Melbourne.

As the seventies madeway for the eighties, Tobin Brothers Funerals opened new branches in Noble Park, Frankston and Glenroy.

In 1969, the continued growth of Tobin Brothers Funerals, and the construction of the Tullamarine Freeway, saw the North Melbourne premises move yet again and just a stone’s throw from the two previous North Melbourne locations. This is when the current North Melbourne Chapel and Head Office was purpose built and still resides today.

Tobin Brothers Funerals North Melbourne current Chapel and Head Office opened at 189 Boundary Road North Melbourne on 1st May 1969.

The Funeral of Most Rev. Daniel Mannix, Archbishop of Melbourne at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in November 1963, the first televised funeral in Victoria and believed to be the first televised funeral in Australia.

By the end of World War Two in 1945, Tobin Brothers Funerals had established branches in North Melbourne and Malvern with a phone answering service at Mentone. In celebration of their 21st year in business, the brothers took out an advertisement in The Argus Newspaper:

“It’s fitting in this year of 1955 as we attain our majority (21 years of faithful service to the Catholic community of Victoria) that we should express our grateful thanks to the thousands of families who have placed their confidence in us at the time of their bereavement. It is our pledge to continue in the future, the high standard we set in the past”

As the war-torn years of the forties surrendered to the innocence of the fifties, a second generation of Tobins joined the now thriving company, the first of whom was the late Leo James Tobin.

Following Leo J Tobin into the company as second generation members of the family were Phonse’s sons, Desmond (Des) and Gavan, Thomas’ son Michael, and Kevin’s sons, Geoffrey (Geoff) and Hugh.

Leo J Tobin joined in 1950, Des in 1961, Geoffrey in 1963, Michael in 1968, Gavan in 1984 and Hugh in 1993.