Writer, public servant and inventor and eldest son of Henry Morgan Murphy, member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1864-73, George Murphy was educated at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. In addition to a long career as a public servant spanning more than forty years, he had been writing since his youth, verse and prose and letters to editors on a wide range of social issues.
Following a serious accident he took extended leave from the public service, travelled to London and became involved in various issues of the time. After study and research, he patented the 'Victoria' torpedo, which was commended in the Times, but failed to sell any because of the expense in conversion from systems already in use.
Returning to Geelong to resume his legal duties, he retired as police magistrate at Ballarat in 1916. Murphy was also the author of Prison Reform (1906) and Peace: a prophecy of the war and its consequences (1915).
