Move on for garage surgery

By Justin Robertson
FROM humble beginnings in the garage, local doctor Alec Lindsay’s Langmore Lane Clinic will be switching locations after 45 years.
What started out as a clinic set up in Dr Lindsay’s home garage has now evolved into a medical legacy for the Berwick region.
Dr Catherine Robinson said the clinic has a long history with the community.
“Patients who attended the ‘old days’ are still visiting the clinic,” she said.
Dr Lindsay eventually outgrew the garage and bought property behind his home which became Langmore Clinic’s address for more than four decades.
The current lease has expired and with the need to expand the surgery moved to Eden Rise Village Shopping Centre in Berwick last month.
The new clinic is three times the size of previous clinic, with eight consulting rooms, nurse’s room, two treatment rooms for emergencies and medical and surgical procedures, better patient amenities, bigger waiting room, improved staff facilities and much more parking.
Many dedicated doctors and receptionists have come and gone over the years and they still have staff that have been with the clinic for more than 30 years who are now treating the fourth generation of patients.
More than 40 years ago Dr Lindsay’s clinic was on the corner of Clyde Road and Langmore Lane – made famous by local medical legend Doctor Percy Langmore.
Langmore Lane was named after the Langmore family, which was headed by Percy.
Dr Langmore, who was born in 1875 and died in 1972, was very much tied in with the early history of Berwick.
He was instrumental in laying the foundation for the medical service for the district.
His portrait hangs in the Berwick Hospital, a positive sign of the respect held for him by his community.
Dr Langmore serviced a wide area – Emerald, Gembrook and the Koo wee rup – after he installed a telephone.
He used to travel around on his horse and buggy over the rough ungravelled tracks that served as district roads.
He later bought a motorbike, then a motorized buggy for locations that were hard to reach.
Percy Langmore retired at 72 and died at 96 and was a man who had a great impact of the lives of many people.