Colleagues who knew Dr Ian Wallace well were aware of his surgical accomplishments and his gifted hands. Undoubtedly the best trained surgeon in our field in Perth when he returned from his training and fellowship in Toronto, he could perform intricate acoustic neuroma surgery on a Monday, complex head and neck cancer surgery on the Wednesday and a face lift and rhinoplasty on the Friday.
His caring and love for family was another key element in his life, manifesting with three epic road trips from Perth to Sydney via Adelaide with his sons Lauchlan and Toby, brothers Brian and Neil, and faithful companion Rusty, his golden Labrador, to spend time with his daughter Annabel and family.
But it was in his spare time that the otherwise gentle and sensitive doctor indulged his spirit of adventure, whether it was parachuting, hot air ballooning, surfing in Nicaragua or the Maldives, rally-car driving or swimming in the Rottnest Channel Swim! Later in life he took up golf, enjoying the company of his golfing friends at Waterfront Cottesloe.
Ian was born in Adelaide on May 23, 1951, the second child following his sister Margaret, and oldest son of engineer Russell Wallace and his mother, Margaret (nee Sanderson, known as Peggy). He attended St Peter’s College from Year 5 to 12, becoming firm friends with his later medical colleagues Tim Pavy, and at Adelaide University medical school, Toby McLeay.
While at medical school in 1973 he met and married MaryLou Bishop. Their three children Lauchlan, Toby and Annabel were born in Adelaide, Perth and Toronto respectively.
Ian and MaryLou moved to Perth in 1974 and he worked at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital with his general surgical colleague and later friend, Dr Chris Lawson-Smith. It was on one of his trips in the Kimberley working for the RFDS out of Wyndham that Ian was encouraged to do ear, nose and throat surgery by the late Dr Jack Sunderman OAM. With recommendations from the SCGH surgeons, he was accepted into the prestigious Toronto University otolaryngology — head and neck surgery training scheme in 1978, which was followed by a one-year fellowship in neuro-otology at Sunnybrook hospital under Dr Hugh Barber, one of the fathers of Canadian neuro-otology and a researcher in vestibular disorders. Ian topped the Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (Canada) subspecialty examination in 1981.
The family moved to Perth in 1982 where he joined the visiting staff at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and commenced private practice as well, working not only at St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, but also at St Anne’s Hospital (now St John of God Mt Lawley), and Glengarry and Bethesda hospitals with outreach clinics in Narrogin and Bunbury. He also enjoyed periodic work trips to the Kimberley and other parts of the State with the Western Australian Country Health Service. In 1989 Ian joined the ENT department at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, where he spent a number of years bringing his skills to the children’s ear surgery sphere.
His special skills allowed him to be a significant contributor to the beginnings of cochlear implantation (of which he performed more than 100) and acoustic neuroma surgery in Perth.
His special skills allowed him to be a significant contributor to the beginnings of cochlear implantation (of which he performed more than 100) and acoustic neuroma surgery in Perth. Later in his career he developed a particular interest in aesthetic facial surgery, and rhinoplasties became his forte, according to his long-term practice manager, Julie Scott.
Another passion was viticulture, which he studied, culminating in his developing a vineyard at Rosa Brook in Margaret River, which was named Cricketwood.
In 1993 his marriage to MaryLou ended. He subsequently was married to Lynn Ward from 2006 to 2019.
Ian developed prostate cancer in 2001. Despite radical surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, he still had persistent disease, culminating in a radiation-induced sarcoma in 2024. He underwent further radical surgery in 2025 and courageously fought through sustained chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
During the last 18 months of his life he was fortunate enough to be supported by his friends and family, son Lauchie leading the effort, and his coffee group including his good friend Jane Marwick, and the golfing friends including Graeme Clark, Keith Miller, Bob Pidgeon, Tim Hantke and Terry Gale.
Entering his life eight months ago was the widow of his friend and colleague Dr Al Mackendrick OAM, Pam, who gave him companionship and compassion, which sustained him through his treatments.
His other faithful companion was his dog Rusty, who visited Ian in hospital and shared many a meal with him.
Ian’s brother Brian remembers driving with him in a rally in Ian’s Nissan GT-R where they left the road on two wheels, miraculously passing between two large trees and losing the side mirrors, stopping in waist-deep water with saplings arresting their progress — with no injuries.
This derring-do was matched by Ian surfing a 6m wave in the Maldives and whitewater rafting in Chile with Annabel.
Dr Tim Pavy remembers them parachuting as first-year medical students, that Tim’s first attempt was like landing a sack of potatoes, whereas Ian approached precisely but very fast and was knocked out and dragged 100m and stopped by a fence. “He was concussed, was sick a couple of times and went home to sleep it off. He returned two weeks later, landing perfectly — tough as nails!”
His long-term friend and anaesthetist Dr Barney Cresswell remembers especially Ian’s kindness and excellent communication with the parents and children on whom Ian operated, and his respectful communication with nurses, orderlies, administration and kitchen staff at St Anne’s.
Ian passed away peacefully on June 18 at Bethesda Hospital. He leaves three children and seven grandchildren who all call him Bumpa — a name given by his eldest granddaughter, Lili. It is perhaps this title that Ian cherished most.
Ian Russell Wallace
Ear, nose and throat, and facial plastic surgeon
Born: Adelaide, 1951
Died: Perth, aged 75
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