Ever since he was stranded in the Australian outback for two weeks as a small boy, when a bus trip he and his mother were undertaking went horribly wrong, Phil Murray has, rather ironically, had a love affair with travel and the great outdoors. 

Son of the legendary Australian larrikin ‘Gelignite’ Jack Murray, famous Redex Reliability Trial driver and sportsman of the 1950’s, Phil has certainly inherited his father’s genes when it comes to adventure, seeking out challenges and embracing all life has to offer. 

Phil’s adventures and achievements have included: white water rafting the Grand Canyon, trekking in three continents (Himalayas, Africa and Australia) as well as travelling extensively throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. Whether spending time in a Soviet hospital during the cold war period, sailing to Morocco or experiencing the midnight sun over Hammerfest in Norway, Phil’s journeys and experiences have enriched him, both as a man and as a writer.

One of Phil’s toughest challenges, which provided inspiration for his writing, involved following in the ‘footsteps of heroes’ – walking the iconic Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. 

Receiving a “Highly Commended” award in the prestigious Port Stephens Literature Awards  for a work based on his Kokoda experience, Phil was elated to achieve a “top ten” finish in a short story competition that annually attracts hundreds of entrants from around the country. A keen traveller all his life, Phil has had several stories published in "Australian Traveller", Australia's premier travel magazine.

With the freedom of retirement, short story writing has grown both as a pleasure and a pastime. Phil enjoys writing and ‘trying his hand’ at all types of short story and genres: the story telling of actual events, historical fiction, humorous anecdotes, travel, science fiction and even children’s short stories. 

Phil Murray hopes one day to finally write his own father’s long overdue biography.