Phillip Garth Law was born at Tallangatta in Northern Victoria on 21 April 1912. His early childhood was spent in Victorian country areas and after passing the Leaving examination with honours c 1928 at Hamilton High School, he was appointed as a junior teacher to the same school in 1929 and to Geelong High School in 1930. In 1931 he gained the Trained Primary Teacher's Certificate at Ballarat Teachers' College and was awarded a one-year scholarship to Melbourne Teachers' College in 1932, where he passed in four subjects of a University Science degree. He completed the degree over the next six years whilst also working as a teacher, firstly at Clunes High School, later at Elwood Central School and at Melbourne Boys High School. After graduating Bachelor of Science in 1939 he obtained leave from the Education Department, Victoria, to work for his Master of Science at Melbourne University, but finally resigned from the Department in 1945.
From 1940 to 1943 he had been a Senior Tutor in Physics at Melbourne University, graduating as Master of Science in 1943 and from 1943 to 1948 he was a Lecturer in Physics. During these years, Law was also a member, and at times acting secretary and assistant secretary, of a wartime body, the Optical Munitions panel which sent him to New Guinea for 6 weeks in 1944 to investigate deterioration of optical instruments at Army and Air Force establishments. He also served on the Tropic Proofing Committee of the Panel.
In 1947 Law was granted a year's leave of absence by the University to become Scientific Liaison Officer for an Australian Expedition to the Antarctic under Captain Stuart Campbell, the Chief Executive Officer of Antarctic Section, Department of External Affairs [II]. The ship "Wyatt Earp" carried the parties to establish stations at Heard Island (CA 1872) and Macquarie Island (CA 1530) whilst, in addition, Law personally undertook cosmic ray research. At the conclusion of his term he joined the SS DUNTROON for a month to do similar research between Australia and Japan.
He completed 1948 at the University and on 4 January 1949 took up an appointment as Assistant Officer in Charge of the Antarctic Division of the Department of External Affairs (CA 1873), the official appointment being gazetted from 1 February 1949 (Commonwealth Gazette, No 33, 12 May 1949, p 1223). At the end of January he led the relief expedition to the Stations at Heard Island (CA 1872) and Macquarie Island (CA 1530).
He was officially gazetted to the position of Officer-in-Charge of the Antarctic Division on 27 March 1952 (Commonwealth Gazette, No 25, p 2019, confirmed Commonwealth Gazette, No 37, 22 May 1952, p 2592) although he had in fact been the senior officer in the Division since his appointment in 1949. He used the title 'Director' from September 1951. He remained with the Division until April 1966, the official date of his resignation being 18 May 1966.
Law's position in the Antarctic Division involved him in a variety of activities all of which related to Australia's scientific research activity in the Antarctic. Administratively, the Division was developed in line with Antarctic policy which involved mounting expeditions to man both Island stations and establish and man bases on the Antarctic Continent. Considerable public relations work in Australia was undertaken and contacts established with researchers and expeditions in other countries. Investigations into the suitability and availability of all equipment, detailed planning of expeditions and selection of personnel were all Law's responsibility.
In September 1949 permission was given by the Australian Government for Law to accept an invitation to join, as observer, a
Norwegian-British-Swedish Expedition to Queen Maud Land (Norwegian Antarctic Territory), which sailed on the ship NORSEL from Cape Town in January 1950 and returned on 9 March 1950. From his observations on the voyage, Law was able to amass a great deal of information which was highly relevant for Australian expeditions especially regarding navigation through pack ice, what should be required of a ship being used in Antarctic work, problems relating to founding a station on the Antarctic Continent and details about many types of equipment.
Law was able to follow up this experience by a brief visit to Europe (returning to Melbourne in April 1950) where he had discussions with others involved in Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, especially members of the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge, the French Antarctic and Greenland Researchers in Paris and the Norsk
Polarinstitutt at Oslo.
The Department of External Affairs had also asked that he join an External Affairs Officer in London in examining fully the purchase of a vessel suitable for work in Antarctica, certain vessels being proposed for consideration. A visit to Glasgow provided a lot of information on this question which was also discussed and investigated in other places such as Oslo. There he was also able to price and locate Norwegian-made items of equipment which he had seen in use on the recent expedition. The task of finding suitable ships at suitable rates of charter was one that remained with him throughout his term as Director. Law made a further visit to England and also to the United States of America in 1952, primarily to visit research institutes and meet people involved in similar work.
In addition to these visits, Law continued to be active in encouraging the flow of information between various polar expeditions. Reports, maps, films were exchanged, advice on procurement and performance of equipment and practical help in obtaining samples was freely sought and given. As well as extending hospitality, Law was active in expediting matters for those European expeditions touching Australia which were in need of supplies and services.
In the years, 1951, 1952, and 1954 Law led relief expedition voyages to Heard and Macquarie Islands. In 1954 Australia's first base in MacRobertson Land on the Antarctic Continent was established under Law's leadership and named Mawson Station (CA 1531) in honour of Sir Charles Mawson, the pioneer explorer.
Law was also a member of the Australian National Committee for International Geophysical year in 1957-58 and he attended an
international planning conference at Barcelona in 1956.
Law led a further expedition in 1957 to open a second continental station at Davis in the Vestfold Hills area of Princess Elizabeth Land and in 1958 he flew to the USA to negotiate the transfer of the US Wilkes Base (CA 1532) to Australian control. He then led the expedition in 1959 during which the transfer was made.
Between 1955 and 1966 Law led ten relief expeditions to relieve Australian bases and to explore sections of the coast of Antarctica. In 1964 he was invited to join a US flight which travelled to the US Bases of Byrd and McMurdo, via the South Pole.
In 1947 Law had enrolled and carried out two year's work towards his Doctorate in Physics at Melbourne University but was unable to complete all requirements before joining the Antarctic Division. However, the University conferred an Honorary Doctorate on him in 1962, the same year in which he was awarded the CBE. He was honoured also by the Royal Society of Tasmania (1958), the Royal Geographical Society of London (1960) and the Royal Geographical Society of Australia (South Australian Branch) (1962).
Photography was one of his major interests. He made a film of the 1954 expedition, called "Blue Ice" which was shown widely in Europe and USA and at the Edinburgh Festival. He wrote numerous articles of both a popular and scientific nature and collaborated with John Berchervaise on a book called "ANARE" published in 1957. His other recreations are listed as: skiing, tennis, spear-fishing, music, and he maintained connections with the Sports Union, Athletic and
Mountaineering Clubs of Melbourne University for a number of years.
His other interests include membership of the Executive of the Boy Scouts Association of Victoria and Presidency of the Geelong Area Boy Scouts, membership of the State Committee of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and Vice President of the Royal Society of Victoria.
Law was also an active member of the Council of the University of Melbourne (from 1959) and from 1964 in the founding days of Latrobe University, a member of the Planning Committee, Convenor of Site Committee and member of the Interim Council. He was in demand as a public speaker and devoted much time to publicising the work of the Australian Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) through talks, slides and films. In 1965 when the Victoria Institute of Colleges was established, Law was appointed Vice President. He ceased work with the Antarctic Division in March 1966 (officially resigning as from 18 May 1966) and worked in his new position from the end of April 1966, to December 1977.