Country doctor remembered for his love of learning and good advice

A portrait of Dr Brian Perry.

Well known Kyogle doctor Brian Perry died at the Gold Coast on July 23. He was 86 years old.

Brian was born in Ipswich in 1938 to teachers Betty and Gordon Perry. He started school in Blackbutt, Queensland.

During the World War II, Brian recalled hearing the air raid sirens sounding through the streets of Brisbane and remembers the milk and bread being delivered by horse drawn cart. He finished his schooling in Brisbane playing Aussie Rules and cricket, then continued to the University of Queensland to study medicine. 

He transferred to Sydney during the course. It was there, at a tennis party, with an anatomy book in his pocket in case he got bored, that he met Janet Wood, a pharmacist.

After working in several Sydney hospitals, Brian married Janet and they started doing locum work around country NSW and Victoria before settling in the town of Hillston in NSW on the Lachlan River. 

Their three children were born there. Brian was the only doctor in town and the nearest medical practitioner was hours away down a dirt road.  He is still remembered fondly in Hillston.

As the children were heading to school the decision was made to move to an area where the kids could stay home to complete high school and not be sent to boarding school.

The family packed up and spent six months travelling around Europe in a VW and caravan before settling back in Sydney where Brian pursued a few different career options.

After realising he wanted his family to be safe in the era of nuclear war threats and instability, he found an idyllic country setting in Kyogle where the family settled in 1975. 

There were two other doctors in town at this time and a good hospital, a high school and a bustling farming community.

The practice was attached to the house and allowed family life to be integrated into the busy life of a country doctor. The toilet was down a long hallway via the kitchen through the middle of the house and some people got lost on the way which made for some interesting incidents.

Brian was interested in cars, hiking, and being self sufficient and these interests were soon joined by the study of mathematics, philosophy and then Ancient Greek so he could read them in the original language.

Brian and Janet Perry.

He pursued a farming enterprise that revolved around the beloved Percheron draught horses and the accompanying old machinery, and Brangus cattle.

Whenever possible, he tried to integrate using the horses and old machinery to run the farm and keep the traditional knowledge alive.

He made time for medical study and was a foundation member of the World Organisation of Family Doctors, had specialist qualifications in obstetrics and was heavily involved in the Rural Doctors group among other professional commitments.

He was a man of paradoxical beliefs. He resented the money side of things. He thought that it wasn’t possible to pay someone enough to do the job that he did for all the huge hours he spent working and on call.

His family were used to having Christmas on an alternate day as he was away working and planned holidays rarely started on time especially if someone was terminally ill or due to give birth.

The family camped all over Australia with their trusty Landrovers and hiked in many national parks. Most of these trips were accompanied by the Rodgers family, the Bavea family and various cousins.

The three children, David, Helen and Christine completed their schooling in Kyogle and went on to study at the University of Queensland. 

Brian and Janet had many opportunities to travel and went to India, Nepal, Europe, the USA, Norfolk Island, New Zealand and only around eight years ago caught the trans-Siberian railway from Moscow to Beijing on their way home from meeting the entire family in Italy.

In 2010, Brian retired because of the effects of Parkinson’s disease on his ability to do the job he loved. 

Family photo taken in 1987. Photos: Contributed

He continued an active life on the farm in Kyogle until 2020 when Janet and Brian moved closer to the family in Numinbah Valley in Queensland.

Despite decreasing mobility, until about a month ago, he was still tinkering in his shed doing up farm machinery to go behind the horses.

He never lost his joy of cars and still had his 1937 Buick that he drove to University, which Janet is now going to finish restoring as she has had to do most of the work lately under Brian’s direction.

Brian’s life revolved around his family, friendships and lifelong learning. He made a difference and will be sorely missed, as much for his wise counsel and generosity of spirit as his medical skill. 

If you needed good advice or medical care, he dispensed both in equal measure, without judgment.

In the words of friends, he was a giant of a man, a good friend and a role model of epic proportions.

There will be a celebration of Dr Perry’s life at 10am this Sunday, August 4 at the Kyogle Bowling Club.

This tribute to Brian Perry was contributed by his family.

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