A caravan of discovery

It started with just a handful of caravans, a dedicated country doctor and a community willing to get involved.

Now, 60 years on, the remarkable history of the Busselton Health Study is being celebrated with an interactive exhibition that takes the story back to where it began.

Coinciding with National Science Week in August, a restored 1960s vintage caravan will be on display at various locations throughout the City of Busselton, inviting locals and visitors to step inside and discover how a regional WA health survey grew into a globally recognised research program.

It all began in 1966 when local GP Dr Kevin Cullen and his colleagues launched the ambitious community health survey. Without a permanent base, the team originally operated from a fleet of caravans on the old Busselton Hospital site on Marine Terrace before moving through a succession of borrowed and makeshift spaces.

Over the following six decades, generations of Busselton residents volunteered their time and health information to the project, creating a remarkable collection of data that has helped researchers better understand chronic disease and contributed to advances in its prevention, diagnosis and management.

Today, the work continues through the Busselton Population Medical Research Institute, with research incorporating modern technology and precision medicine.

The travelling caravan exhibition will showcase some of those scientific achievements while also celebrating the people behind them and the Busselton community that has supported the study for six decades. Organisers also hope it will inspire a new generation, highlighting opportunities for young people interested in science and medical research.

The exhibition begins during National Science Week (August 17-21) and will appear at locations throughout the City of Busselton.

The 60th anniversary celebrations will continue later this year, with a gala dinner set for Saturday November 14 overlooking Geographe Bay at Saltwater Busselton.

For more information visit bpmri.org.au.