Urwin held the post of Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, an important inter-governmental regional organisation from 2004 until 2 May 2008.

[4] Urwin completed undergraduate studies in history with honours at the University of Sydney where he was also senior student at Wesley College.

[4] Urwin's work as a Pacific region specialist began in 1977 when he was posted to Apia, Samoa from Canberra, to open Australia's first diplomatic mission in the Polynesian nation.

[4] Urwin often returned to Canberra, Australia, between diplomatic postings, where he often served as a special envoy for the government or as an international election observer.

In 2004, Australian Prime Minister John Howard backed Urwin as a candidate for Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Urwin competed against three other candidates, all Pacific Islanders, whose nominations were also put forth for Secretary General – lawyer Tuala Donald Kerslake of Samoa; Vinci Clodumar of Nauru, the country's permanent representative to the United Nations; and Langi Kavaliku a doctor from Tonga.

[4] Urwin was unanimously reappointed to a second three-year term as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum in October 2006.

Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Sevele, who was serving as Chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum at the time, announced that he received Urwin's letter of resignation on 2 May 2008 saying, "We all wish him well and a speedy recovery.

[8] Ultimately, Tuiloma Neroni Slade of Samoa, a former justice at the International Criminal Court, was chosen to permanently succeed Urwin at the 39th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders conference in Alofi, Niue, in August 2008.

[9] In 2001, Urwin was awarded the Australian Public Service Medal for "Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Australia's Relationship with the Pacific.

[14] Urwin was survived by his second wife, Penny and their three sons, Wylie, Geoff and Daryl; his parents, Frank and Verna, of Queanbeyan, Australia; and his brother, Neil, of Murrumbateman.

[15] Memorial services were held in Apia, Samoa; Suva, Fiji and Canberra, Australia at which many leaders from the region were in attendance.

Tuiloma Neroni Slade, who ascended to Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum in August 2008, promised to continue the work of Urwin following his death.

"[5] Teo described Urwin as "a very humble person and very sensitive to many cultures that make up the membership of the Pacific Islands Forum family.