Hipwell met his wife Elizabeth "Betty" McCallum before the war in Sydney and became engaged whilst Hipwell was enlisted. The pair married in Sydney on 13 January 1945. Elizabeth had been very attracted to the Warrandyte area and suggested to John that they live there. He and Elizabeth moved to Warrandyte, Victoria soon after. Elizabeth introduced him to Fritz Janeaba starting a great friendship between Fritz and John. They had three children Alexandra Elizabeth Rosalie Hipwell (18 December 1947–), Pamela Margaret Edith Hipwell (1 July 1949–) and John Robert Crispian Hipwell (13 January 1953–).
