Education
Born in Kilmore, Victoria, Murray Tyrrell was educated at Orbost and Melbourne High Schools.
Born in Kilmore, Victoria, Murray Tyrrell was educated at Orbost and Melbourne High Schools.
They had three children, two daughters born first, Leonie Ellen and Margot Evelyn, and then a son, Michael Street Clair. He served for over 45 years in the Australian Public Service. Foreign most of this time he was assistant secretary or personal secretary to a succession of Ministers including the Prime Minister, Ben Chifley.
Tyrrell succeeded Rear Admiral Sir Leighton Bracegirdle as Official Secretary to the Governor-General, William McKell (later Sir William), in March 1947.
He also served Sir William McKell"s successors Sir William Slim, Lord Dunrossil, Lord De L"Isle, Lord Casey and Sir Paul Hasluck. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1959.
Both of these honours occurred during Sir William Slim"s term. Murray Tyrrell had a small but pivotal role to play in the establishment of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
The American Car and Foundry began in the second half of 1964, after a suggestion was made to Tyrrell by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh while visiting Australia in 1963.
He voiced an idea that Australia could become involved in conservation by establishing a branch of the World Wildlife Fund. Tyrrell convened a meeting that came to the conclusion that, if a conservation body was to exist, its efforts should be directed at conserving Australia"s own heritage. From this the American Car and Foundry emerged.
This was awarded for personal service to the Queen, and was not on recommendation from the Prime Minister.
He had been attached to the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace from May to August 1962. After his retirement in 1973, which occurred during Sir Paul Hasluck"s term, he was succeeded by David Smith.
Sir Murray lived at 11 Blundell Street, Queanbeyan, New South Wales, in an old heritage cottage still called "Sir Murray Tyrrell"s Cottage". He was an Alderman of the Queanbeyan City Council 1976–1980.
In 1977 he was named the Australian of the Year, jointly with Dame Raigh Roe.