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"Betty: The Asbestos Education House" to visit Blue Mountains for the Disaster Risk Awareness Expo as part of National Asbestos Awareness Month

Asbestos Education Committee

Key Facts:

• Vision opportunity – Betty is Australia’s only purpose-built, mobile asbestos education house.
• Compelling public health message – asbestos remains in 1-in-3 Australian homes, including many throughout the Blue Mountains region.
• High local relevance - asbestos exposure from home renovation is now linked to 51% of mesothelioma deaths in Australia.

• Expert interviews available – including Betty’s creators and National Asbestos Awareness campaign spokespersons.
• Strong backstory – Betty marks her 13th year, having travelled 67,000+ km around Australia (every state/territory except WA) and reached 24 million Australians.
• Exceptional photo/vision opportunities – exterior and interior demonstrations of asbestos, community engagement.

Why asbestos awareness remains critical:
• More than 4,000 Australians die each year from asbestos-related diseases — triple the national road toll.
• Asbestos was used in over 3,000 building products, and can be found in homes built or renovated before 1990.Asbestos was used in over 3,000 building products, and can be found in homes built or renovated before 1990.
• 1-in-3 Australian homes contain asbestos.
• Microscopic fibres can be released during DIY renovations, maintenance or damage — and can be lethal if inhaled.
• Mesothelioma has no cure and is often diagnosed decades after exposure; average survival is 10–12 months.
• Homeowners, tradies and renovators are most at risk, with exposure during renovations a leading cause of disease.

MEDIA ALERT: 14 NOVEMBER 2025

“Betty - The Asbestos Education House”

DATE: Saturday 22 November 2025

TIME: 10:00am – 4:00pm

EVENT:                                      The Disaster Risk Awareness Expo

LOCATION: Planetary Health Centre

ADDRESS:                                 33-39 Acacia Street, Katoomba 2780

HOST ORGANISATION:           Blue Mountains City Council

MEDIA EVENT: “Betty – The Asbestos Education House” will feature at the Blue Mountains City Council’s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo to drive home the dangers of asbestos among homeowners, renovators and tradies to save lives.

 

On Saturday 22 November, “Betty – The Asbestos Education House” will be a prominent feature of the

Blue Mountains City Council Planetary Health Initiative's Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and Community Day to help educate local homeowners and tradies about the dangers of asbestos that remains lurking in 1-in-3 Aussie homes including many throughout the Blue Mountains region as part of National Asbestos Awareness Month (November).

 

Betty, a purpose-built mobile model house is Australia’s only experiential asbestos education resource that demonstrates the many locations where asbestos might be found in homes to ensure legacy asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are managed safely.

 

Having travelled more than 66,000 kilometres to hundreds of communities across all Australian states except WA, Betty’s attendance at the Disaster Risk Awareness Expo will mark her 13th year mission to save lives.

 

Clare Collins, Director of the National Asbestos Awareness campaign, Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee and co-creator of Betty said, “Most Australians believe that asbestos-related diseases are a thing of the past, but they’re so very wrong!”

 

“Despite asbestos being banned in Australia in December 2003, we have the unenviable status of recording the world’s highest incidences of asbestos-related diseases because Australia was among the highest consumers of ACMs globally.

 

“With legacy asbestos remaining in one third of Aussie homes, asbestos-related diseases continue to kill more than 4,000 Australians every year – three times more than the annual national road toll, and with asbestos-related deaths predicted to rise, Betty plays a vital role in preventing exposure to asbestos fibres that can kill.”

 

Asbestos isn’t just in fibro homes and sheds - it was used in the manufacture of more than 3000 ACM products with many of these products remaining in any brick, fibro, weatherboard, clad home or apartment built or renovated before 1990.

 

Asbestos was used everywhere in homes - lurking under floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, home extensions, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even in dog kennels.

If sealed, in good condition and left undisturbed, asbestos is not considered dangerous. However, if disturbed during maintenance or renovations and microscopic fibres become airborne and can be inhaled; this can lead to incurable diseases including lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma.

 

Exposure to asbestos fibres during home renovations has been linked to 51% of mesothelioma deaths.

There is no cure for mesothelioma. The average survival time following diagnosis is just 10-12 months.

 

Although there’s no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres, what we do know is that the greater the exposure, the greater the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases with homeowners, renovators and tradies most at risk of exposure if they disturb ACMs when working on any property that contains asbestos.

 

“If people ignore the warnings or don’t respect asbestos and learn how to manage asbestos safely; homeowners, renovators, tradies and property owners play a risky game of ‘Renovation Roulette’ putting their lives and the lives of others, including their children, at risk,” said Ms Collins.

 

“Thanks to Blue Mountains City Council we’re delighted to be able to bring Betty’s potentially life-saving message to this community to provide vital information as to why asbestos is dangerous, the risks of working unsafely with ACMs, and the steps to take if people come across materials they suspect may contain asbestos in their homes,” Ms Collins said.

 

For those unable to experience Betty in person, they should visit asbestosawareness.com.au to find out how to identify the asbestos that remains hidden in homes built or renovated prior to 1990 and learn how to manage it safely because it’s not worth the risk!

 

-ENDS-

 

HASHTAGS

#AsbestosAwareness #RespectAsbestos #AsbestosSafety #RespectAsbestosRisks #AsbestosEducation

 

ASBESTOS EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEDIA CONTACTS

[email protected] 

Clare Collins: 0414 821 957 

Alice Collins:  0414 686 091 

 

ASBESTOSAWARENESS.COM.AU - https://www.asbestosawareness.com.au/

asbestosawareness.com.au is Australia’s leading, most comprehensive, trusted online source of asbestos information to educate Australians about the dangers of asbestos with a specific focus on homeowners, renovators, tradies, commercial property managers and the owners and managers of regional properties where naturally occurring asbestos can be found.

asbestosawareness.com.au provides comprehensive asbestos information and user-friendly free resources:

• Asbestos in Homes: A Guide to Identification, Testing and Removal (Video guide on asbestos inspections and removal hosted by Australia’s Renovation Queen™ and Asbestos Awareness Ambassador, Cherie Barber)
• Asbestos 101 for Residential Property Owners, Managers and Tradies (Education resource to help homeowners, tradies and property investors learn the facts about asbestos and how to manage it safely)
• Asbestos in Your Home – The Ultimate Renovators Guide (Easy to follow video hosted and produced by Australia’s Renovation Queen™ and Asbestos Awareness Ambassador, Cherie Barber)
• Asbestos Awareness Residential Property Checklist – A Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying Asbestos-Containing Materials (User-friendly step-by-step guide to identifying asbestos in the home)
• Asbestos Awareness - 20 Point Safety Check (Asbestos risks and how to manage asbestos safely)
• Fact Sheets for Homeowners (When, why and how to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE))
• Asbestos Awareness Toolbox Talks (10 Toolbox Talks help employers inform workers of asbestos risks)
• Asbestos Awareness for Young Workers (Education resource developed with SafeWork NSW )
• Asbestos Awareness - 20 Point Safety Check (Asbestos risks and how to manage asbestos safely)
• Residential Checklist for Tradies – A Tradespersons Guide to Asbestos (Identify products and locations)
• Trade Specific Checklist for Tradies – A Tradespersons Guide to Asbestos (Tailored to 23 specific trades)
• Fact Sheets for Tradies (When, why and how to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Asbestos Product Database  (Australia’s first comprehensive online asbestos product database)
• Asbestos Management for Commercial and Non-Residential Properties (Australia’s only comprehensive resource)

“BETTY” THE ASBESTOS EDUCATION HOUSE - DRIVING HOME THE DANGERS OF ASBESTOS

ABOUT BETTY

Purpose built, Betty is the size of a caravan designed to demonstrate the many and various product types and locations where asbestos might be found in homes to educate tradespersons, homeowners and renovators about the dangers of disturbing asbestos-containing materials that remain hidden in 1-in-3 Aussie homes.

 

Betty and her multi-award winning crew, Geoff and Karen Wicks, provide easily digestible information on safe practices, and engages stakeholders and media to drive traffic to asbestosawareness.com.au – a one-stop-shop where people can access a wealth of free information on how to identify and manage asbestos safely to help prevent asbestos-related diseases.

 

BETTY’S TOUR HISTORY

• Betty was launched on 25th November 2012.
• Betty has travelled more than 66,000km around Australia to every state and territory except WA.
• Betty has toured as far north as Darwin and Cairns, as far south as Port Arthur and as far inland as Alice Springs.
• Betty has had 260 public appearances and held 210 media call events.
• Betty has featured in over 1300 media pieces including A Current Affair in 2022: https://vimeo.com/652739706
• Betty has been displayed at 55 Bunnings Stores across NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, TAS and the NT.
• Betty has featured at various community events throughout NSW including: The Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2013 and 2015; The Sydney Home Show; AGQUIP; NAIDOC Week Events 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017; Australia Day Celebrations; Cumberland City Council and Blacktown City Council community events, The Royal Agricultural Society’s Camden Show and multiple regional shows.
• asbestosawareness.com.au website traffic increases by over 190% when Betty is on the road.
• Without Betty on the road asbestosawareness.com.au averages 11,000 visitors per month.

 

MORE INFORMATION 

• BETTY ON THE OPEN ROAD: Betty’s promo video demonstrating Betty’s effectiveness: https://vimeo.com/80178222
• BETTY ON FACEBOOK: Asbestos Awareness & Betty Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asbestosawarenessau
• DOWNLOAD BETTY PHOTOGRAPHS: https://asbestosawareness.box.com/v/Betty

 

GEOFF & KAREN WICKS – BETTY’S CHAUFFEURS & CURATORS

Geoff and Karen Wicks are fully trained volunteers who enable Betty to educate communities as well as tend to her maintenance and upkeep. Geoff is a retired avionics engineer and a long-time renovator. Karen is a retired hospitality worker and renovator. Together they’ve toured Betty through every state and territory except WA. They’ve received three Volunteering NSW awards and two SafeWork NSW awards for their work and dedication in educating the community.

 

JOHN BATTY

John Batty is one of the founding members and President of the Asbestos & Hazardous-Materials Consultants Association (AHCA) and Managing Director of EDP Consultants, a global provider of Health, Safety and Environmental Services. John has more than 20 years’ experience in asbestos and hazardous materials management and is a consultant to a number of government departments and private organisations. John is a member of the Asbestos Education Committee for the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign.

 

CLARE COLLINS

Clare Collins is the Director of the National Asbestos Awareness Month campaign and asbestosawareness.com.au. Clare is the Managing Director of Insight Communications, the creators and managers of the Asbestos Awareness campaign since 2011. Working in consultation with government experts and industry leaders, Insight are the creatives behind the multi-award winning campaign and asbestosawareness.com.au. Insight has presented the campaign to stakeholders and industry leaders in the UK, Europe and Australia. Clare is the Chair of Advocacy Australia and the Asbestos Education Committee for the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign.

Contact details:

ASBESTOS EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEDIA CONTACTS

[email protected] 

Clare Collins: 0414 821 957 

Alice Collins:  0414 686 091 

 

MORE INFORMATION 

• BETTY ON THE OPEN ROAD: Betty’s promo video demonstrating Betty’s effectiveness: https://vimeo.com/80178222
• BETTY ON FACEBOOK: Asbestos Awareness & Betty Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asbestosawarenessau
• DOWNLOAD BETTY PHOTOGRAPHS: https://asbestosawareness.box.com/v/Betty