Paul Tonti-Filippini

Rest in peace Paul
We had some fun back in the day. Running in the rain and having a 'hermit.' wash, exploding chestnuts in the fire,setting traps for fellow hermits for when they came home late at night.
The setting was The Hermitage, a small cottage in the Dandenongs,where Paul lived for a time with running friends.
Paul used his artistic skills in documenting some of the activities with his sketches in a visitors book we kept.
It was a memorable time.
Rest in peace Paul.
You'll always be in our memories.

I met Paul first as Nick’s much-revered elder brother – a source of fascination with his loves of art, theatre, music, sport (especially the beloved Geelong Cats!) and a range of interesting alternative jobs. Biggles and flying machines and nautical adventures on various cargo ships also have rated a mention in the early conversations too!
I remember he came for dinner for Nick’s 30th birthday and kept us amused with stories of his “riding shotgun” for a security company – transporting and guarding amounts of money or gold bullion around Melbourne – and quite possibly, guns and crooks were involved! The stories were delivered with his mischievous smile, so anything was possible.
Paul visited us several times before the move to Cairns- the kids loved his sense of humour, his relaxed approach to life, ability to embrace street sports especially cricket, his musical talent and artistic flair- his drawings of large vultures adorned our front door one memorable Halloween – he was renowned for caricatures too.
We kept in touch after the move- mostly phone calls- occasional visits- memorably a trip to Cairns with our four children, during which Paul arranged a trip to the reef for us all- in an historic wooden pearl lugger called the Falla- which ironically sank several years later off Yorkey’s Knob!
We had a happy few days exploring the town, the hinterland – boating on the lakes, viewing the waterfalls, enjoying the fresh seafood and Paul’s knowledgeable commentaries and obvious love of the FNQ lifestyle! He chose a lifestyle of simplicity living in that community and always seemed content with whatever circumstances provided. His observations about others were always gentle, showing acceptance and concern for those in trouble.
Trips back to Melbourne were not easy and were infrequent but Nick & I were grateful to him for several- a surprise visit once when Nick was seriously ill- giving much needed buoyancy at a difficult time. Paul also attended Claire’s wedding and as Justin has noted, went to the trouble of composing and performing a hit song at the reception. He then returned several months later for Nick’s funeral where he thoughtfully delivered a reading at the Requiem Mass. Paul also came back to Melbourne for Nick’s first anniversary Mass and it is lovely to have a photo of him holding our first grandchild- Harry Nicholas, who was born just weeks before.
We kept in touch since then with phone calls which were always delightful - he remained interested in and enjoyed stories of the children and their adventures - in recent months, the calls were shorter, but I was always impressed with his focus and knowledge and clarity even when physically, he must have been in significant discomfort. He will be missed.

Mary (Sister-in-Law)

As Paul was 15 years older, I did not grow up with him. I did live with/near him for 11 years in/near Cairns. Like many I was oblivious to Cyclone Larry.
All was calm as I visited Paul in the Kuranda hills. He took me to a nearby shop where we were invited out the back to watch the TV news. A Cat 5 cyclone, Larry, was fast approaching. I returned to my bush home, packed the essentials and cleared out - and soon many houses were demolished. I never did return to the bush.
Paul loved watching the local Cairns AFL games. I joined him and was advised who to look out for. I was unfit, but trained up and joined the Cairns AFL umpires to run several hundred matches (junior and senior) and create my own boundary throw in - which I believe has been copied by many AFL pros. After my one and only A Grade Grad Final I shared a black label Wolf Blas Shiraz with Paul.
Often we travelled around the region including boating on the volcanic lakes, bush and beach walks, over to Fitzroy Island, and of course personalised museum tours. Creativity, songs, and artworks were always on the go. Like the final words of his imaginative Folk People, "The old people dream of flying. They are happy now.".

I regret not having more contact with Paul. To me, he was the wise wizard in the corner at family events, and I’ll always remember his warm laugh and the twinkle in his eye. I have fond memories of Paul visiting us when we were kids, with the other uncles, and playing cricket in the street in Templestowe.

The song he wrote and performed for Claire’s wedding, a revised version of Paul Kelly’s Our Sunshine, was magical. It still plays in my head sometimes. People were chanting the lyrics on the bus the whole way home from the venue, in the early hours of the morning.

Paul seemed like a man of infinite patience, with a gentle heart and a rich private life. I wish I knew him better. I called him a couple of weeks ago, and he told me he’d once travelled to Norway to visit a cartoonist living in Høvik, just west of Oslo. Understandably, Paul wasn’t in the mood to talk for very long, so I didn’t get to ask for the artist’s name - I’d be interested to hear if anyone knows who this might have been.

The song, Story of an Artist (Daniel Johnston/M Ward), reminds me of him.

Farewell Uncle Paul, and Godspeed.

Amongst his large set of brothers and sisters, Paul struck me as "the quiet one", but not the sort of quiet that's cold, shy, judgemental or withdrawn, rather his quiet seemed the sort that accompanies a contented soul, one who's able to find meaning in the subtle things that others overllook.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull comes to mind. I hope that, like Jonathan, Uncle Paul figured out what flying is really all about.