Hilary McPhee: key obituary facts
Is Hilary McPhee dead? Yes. Hilary McPhee died on October 1, 2026, at age 85.
Cause of death: Hilary McPhee's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Hilary McPhee known for?
She was an Australian publisher.
More about Hilary McPhee
Born: 15 August 1941.
Place of birth: Melbourne.
Gender: female.
Occupation: editor, publisher.
Nationality: Australia.
Education: University of Melbourne, Tintern Grammar.
Employer: Melbourne University Publishing, Meanjin.
Awards: Victorian Honour Roll of Women, Officer of the Order of Australia.
Also known as: Hilary Jane McPhee, Hilary Freeman, Hilary Michie, Hilary Watson.
Occupations: writer, editor.
Known for: Co-founding publishing firm McPhee Gribble with Di Gribble.
Hilary McPhee, the Australian publisher who co-founded McPhee Gribble with Di Gribble, died on October 1, 2026, aged 85.
Also known as Hilary Jane McPhee, she was born in Melbourne on August 15, 1941, and graduated from the University of Melbourne. McPhee and Gribble established the publishing house in 1975, and she later served as a founding director of McPhee Gribble until 1989.
Her career also included roles with Melbourne University Publishing and Meanjin, along with service as chair of the Australia Council for the Arts and the Major Organisations Board. McPhee was a founding director and occasional editor of the online political newsletter New Matilda, and received an honorary doctorate from Monash University as well as the inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow appointment at the University of Melbourne.