Byron Kakulas 1932-2023.

I’ve already forgotten the choice for 2023’s Australian Of The Year. But I’m confident that their contribution to the nation and the wider world has been smaller than that of this Western Australian scientist, who found the first clues to his discovery in that very Western Australian marsupial The Photogenic Ankle Nudger. More commonly known as the quokka.

The Perron Institute has established the Byron Kakulas Medal to recognise an individual or small team of innovators who have changed the face of medical research, clinical practice, service delivery or community outreach to improve the health and wellbeing of the Western Australian community.

It’s not just surf, sharks and footballers over here, folks.

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