Phyl joined the Motorsport Australia (CAMS as it was formally known as) as an office assistant in the South Australian office in the early 1980’s and soon gained a reputation of being helpful and friendly to all. 

 

Taking over the South Australian Manager role following the retirement of Peter Wright, Phyl set about transforming the direction of SA motorsport, a task which was helped along admirably by the creation of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix running in the streets of Adelaide each November.

 

Underlining her versatility in her duties, Phyl took on the additional and significant role of Media Manager for the 1990 and 1991 BP Australian Rally Championships, a time during which she united many rally contestants and organisers with her unending enthusiasm and tireless work pumping out rally information to media and fans during events and between events through some entertaining and often light-hearted newsletters  to competitors. 

In October 1998, Phyl was promoted to National Officiating Program Manager and transferred to the National Office in Malvern East (Victoria).  It was during her time in this role that the importance of officiating became more widely understood, through professionally developed training courses which aligned to the Federal Government’s National Sports Curriculum, all of which were overseen by Phyl.

 

Phyl retired from Motorsport Australia late in the first decade of 2000 and following a well-earned break, changed roles to become a marriage celebrant, happily joining many couples and presiding over several motorsport marriages.

 

During the most recent years, Phyl’s life was made difficult as she suffered with dementia, however family and friends were able to bid farewell to the enthusiastic, loyal and courageous servant of our sport earlier this month.

 

Motorsport Australia offers its condolences to all those who knew Phyllis.