By Deanne Jeffers
Donald “Don” Phillips was a man who lived life with colour, curiosity and a fearless sense of adventure. Born on September 18, 1931, he passed away on August 1, 2025 – just one month short of his 94th birthday – leaving behind a legacy as a devoted family man, respected publican, winemaker and community leader.
The fourth of six children, Don grew up at the Pine Lodge Hotel, riding bareback to Shepparton East Primary School with his siblings. In 1944, he was sent to St Patrick’s College in Ballarat, an experience he found cold and strict. By the late 1940s, after his father Tom had taken over the Australia Hotel, Don returned home to work alongside his siblings in what became affectionately known as Phillips’ Hotel.
In 1956, Don married Marion Plant and together they raised two sons, Trevor and Paul. Their marriage lasted more than 50 years until Marion’s passing in 2012. Don later found love again with Selina Quilty, who survives him.
From early on, Don displayed an irresistible adventurous streak. He learned to fly with close friend Max North, piloting Tiger Moths, Victa Airtourers, and later his own Beagle Airedale and Comanche 180. Paul recalls family holidays often meant flying to Queensland in small planes, or, in true Don fashion, taking a hang glider along so his sons could soar over sand dunes.
“Dad just loved to try new things,” said Paul. “When I was about 15, he went and bought a hang glider so Trevor and I could go hang gliding. That was just him: adventurous, fun, always up for something different.”
Perhaps the greatest adventure came in 1973, when Don, Marion, and the boys set off from Melbourne by boat, landing in Portugal. They toured Europe in a Volkswagen Combi van before purchasing a canary yellow Volkswagen Beetle in Germany. With all their belongings strapped atop the Beetle, they continued their journey through more than a dozen countries along the Silk Road – from Greece and Turkey to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India – before finally shipping the car home from Singapore.
“It was a rare part of history when there was no conflict,” Paul remembers. “Driving through those places back then was an amazing experience. In Pakistan, we had to drive straight through in 24 hours with tape over the lights because of tensions with India. Dad just kept going.”
Back home, Don was never far from the social scene. Summers were spent at Lake Eildon with friends, houseboats and fishing rods. At the Aussie Hotel, he introduced weekly handball competitions that packed the lounge with more than 100 people, turning a quiet Wednesday night into a community gathering.
When the family sold the Aussie Hotel in 1979, Don wasn’t ready to slow down. He bought the Goulburn Valley Winery on Vaughan Street and transformed it into Phillips Cellars. In its early years, he not only sold wine but also made it, producing Shiraz, Cabernet, and even Sauvignon Blanc before most Australians had heard of it. “People told him it would never take off,” Paul laughs. “But he said it would. He was right.”
Beyond his businesses, Don was deeply committed to community. A founding member of the Shepparton Lions Club in 1961, he remained active for more than 60 years, helping to deliver countless projects and fundraisers. He was also a long-serving member of the Shepparton Beefsteak & Burgandy Club, where he shared his knowledge and passion for wine.
Those who knew Don best describe him as larger than life: a man who loved people, laughter and a good adventure. “He always had something on the go,” Paul said. “He loved life, loved people, and he made the most of every opportunity.”
Don Phillips will be remembered not just for the businesses he built or the clubs he sustained, but for the way he embraced life with humour, courage, and a willingness to say yes to new experiences. His funeral at St Brendan’s (Knight Street, Shepparton) was a heartfelt celebration, with hundreds of family and friends gathering to farewell Don and share stories and memories that reflected a life lived to the fullest.
