Noel Bennett, who had a significant impact nationally and internationally as an infectious disease specialist, died from bowel cancer at Epworth Private Hospital in Box Hill, aged 78. As an Australian representative with the World Health Organisation (WHO), he played an important role in the worldwide eradication of smallpox. Then premier, John Cain, presenting Noel with the Victorian of the Year award in 1990, said of him, 'His life has been devoted to extending the bounds of medical knowledge to curing disease and alleviating suffering... He played a significant part in one of the greatest triumphs in medicine — the eradication of smallpox. He is, or has been, a member of a quite extraordinary number of local and international, committees and organisations.'

Noel's long and expansive medical career included 35 years at Fairfield Infectious Disease Hospital, where he was medical director from 1979 and chief executive officer from 1981 to 1992. With the WHO, Noel travelled to remote areas of Indonesia, Pakistan and Afghanistan testing and confirming the final eradication of this disfiguring, and frequently lethal disease. He was a prolific writer, co-authouring 3 editions, 1975 to 1987, of The Use of Antibiotics. On four occasions Noel took part in or led medical aid teams to the island of Ambon, Indonesia, to establish medical services for a people in great need. The people of Ambon had greatly aided Australian servicemen and women during World War II.

Born in East Malvern to Jack and Roberta (nee McKenzie), Noel was educated at Caulfield Grammar School, where he was a member of the First XVIII football team, and in later years was on the school council. He continued to play football to the age of 35 and keenly followed Fitzroy. He graduated in medicine from Melbourne University in 1954, and after 3 years at the Alfred Hospital, he worked at Fairfield Infectious Disease Hospital for 35 years.

Noel, who married Kay (nee Wallis) in September 1956, retained pride in his Scottish heritage and enjoyed his affiliation with the Melbourne Scots. He also maintained a strong interest in education. Along the way he taught at Monash and Melbourne Universities and was Dean of the Clinical Schools of both institutions at Fairfield Hospital. He also had a long association with the armed services as a reserve officer. He started with the RAAF as a medical student in 1953. By 1974, he reached the rank of wing commander (epidemiologist). As a lieutenant-colonel with the army's medical corps between 1975 and 1986, he was an adviser and lecturer on germ warfare. Other long stints were as surgeon to the harness racing authority in Victoria and the Melbourne Racing Club.

In his time at Fairfield Hospital, the causes of many infections were discovered, effective vaccines developed, and new antibiotics seemed inexhaustible. Life threatening diseases in children such as diptheria and measles were managed. Polio-inflicted men and women continued to live at the hospital, some permanently, in their iron lung machines that artificially maintained their breathing. In 1993, he was appointed Director of Quarantine Services and managed the Commonwealth's high security quarantine unit at Fairfield Hospital.

From his early days at Fairfield, Noel worked closely with the State Health Department - now Department of Human Services - and was a consultant for 28 years. He was a member of the DHS delegation to China in 1998, and a member and then chairman of the Standing Committee on Infection Control for 19 years. He was also chairman for 22 years of the Victorian Arbovirus Taskforce, which advises on mosquito-borne diseases, as well as a member of many other ad hoc state and national committees.

Noel pioneered waste management guidelines in Australia. In the 1980s these were imperative for the control of blood-borne diseases, such as AIDS, in hospitals. He was asked to be chairman of the Victorian Advisory Committee on Hospital Waste Disposal following an alarming statewide survey he conducted, and soon released the most detailed guidelines for the management of such waste in Australia.

He maintained his commitment to Australian health until the week before he died – he was trying to establish links between meteorological events and mosquito-born disease such as Murray Valley encephalitis. Noel's prolific writings include a 247 page history of his maternal McKenzie family from 1834 through to 2004. He is survived by his wife, Kay, children, Karl, Matthew, Sally and Jessica and 10 grandchildren.