The 80-year-old, who finished his last shift in early May, had been in practice for an impressive 54 years.

Dr Robinson said working on the Border was the highlight of his career.

“I think Wodonga people are very accepting,” he said. “I'd been moving around too much before I came here. Wodonga people were just beaut.”

Originally a Wangaratta boy, Dr Robinson was born in 1935 and attended Geelong College.

Studying hard, he managed to score a place in medicine at the University of Melbourne, residing in Ormond College until graduation in 1961. 

“It had a terrific medical school with very good, young specialists who were very good teachers,” he said. 

Dr Robinson went on to have stints practicing in Tasmania, Western Australia and the UK but in 1972 he moved to Wodonga.

Dr Robinson said medical technology had undergone a metamorphosis since he graduated.

“There has been wonderful advancements in the treatment in diabetes,” he said. “The introduction of coronary stents for people with narrowed arteries is a wonderful step forward.”

But Dr Robinson thought one of the greatest medical inventions was the wheelie walker.

“At least people now can keep on walking,” he said. 

Dr Robinson also underlined the changing social attitudes to asymptomatic medical conditions since the beginning of his career.

“Wodonga has a terrific back-up for people who are suffering from mental illness,” he said.

“There have been big social changes. People are now more accepting of those with mental illness – a lot of it used to be swept under the carpet.”

But Dr Robinson’s career was not without its lows.

“I think the most difficult point of my career would be treating people who were drug or alcohol affected,” he said.

“I noticed an increase in people who were taking morphine compounds, which we never saw years ago.”

A keen birdwatcher and fly fisher, Dr Robinson was looking forward to spending more time holidaying in Tasmania. He said retirement would also give him enough time to delve into the classics, namely Dickens and Austen.