A MASTER herbalist has built her family business from the ground up, offering alternative medicine for more than 50 years.

Kathleen Dunn, who recently turned 80, has been running Dunns Herbal Clinic in Wanneroo since 1983.

She said it was an accomplishment for her to still be working at the Badgerup Road clinic and farm at her age.

Im still out in the garden, still do all the iridology and reading eyes, the tongue and take the pulses, she said.

From iridology, a detailed analysis of eyes, to selling herbal tonics, Mrs Dunn has been working every day, except Sundays, for 55 years.

Originally from Melbourne, Mrs Dunn said she started learning about herbs from her grandfather and has been operating a herbal clinic since 1965.

In 1975, we came over to Perth and we started a clinic in Scarborough, she said.

We bought this (Wanneroo) property in 1983, and then we moved here.

The property was developed to grow herbs used for formulas but Mrs Dunn said it took some effort for the family to start the business.

This (property) was just horse paddocks, there was nothing here except three trees that were out here, she said.

When we started here, the soil was extremely low, you could pick it up and itll blow away.

Then gradually by using mulch and straw...we built up the soil.

Dunns Herbal clinic sells standard remedies in its shop but Mrs Dunn also conjures up formulas specific to a customer.

We have things where when the person comes for their iridology, its an individual mixture, Mrs Dunn said.

Its a formula only for them and every time they come, the formula changes slightly because of the seasons.

Mrs Dunn said most customers found her through word of mouth and many had stayed for decades.

Mrs Dunn was featured on the front page of sister paper the Joondalup Times in an article about her business in February 1995.

A lot of people have been with me for 20 years, she said.

Ive got one man who, for over 30 years, has been coming to me and hes in his 80s.

Mrs Dunn will hold a 10-week herbal course in September after having to postpone it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Wanneroo herbalist talks up 55 years in business - PerthNow