All on board for the facts about asbestos

But the keen travellers aren't your average grey nomads. They have dedicated their retirement to spreading a potentially life-saving message warning home renovators about the dangers of asbestos, with the help of Betty the ADRI House.

The first of its kind in the world, Betty is a mobile model house and educational community tool that shows the multiple places asbestos might be found in a typical Australian home. It is a partnership between the Asbestos Education Committee and the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute.

"When we retired we were looking for some volunteer work and a friend suggested that we come and get involved with the Asbestos Awareness campaign for a week. That was five years ago," said retired avionics engineer and avid DIY-er Geoff.

Since then the volunteers from Leichhardt have spent six weeks every year travelling and have visited Victoria, Queensland, the NT, South Australia and far west NSW with Betty.

They've attended more than 200 health and community events, distributed more than 130,000 brochures, engaged with more than 150 councils, 7000 renovation students, 4000 conference delegates and conducted more than 180 media events.

They have just wrapped up six weeks on the road in Tasmania and recently received an award from SafeWork NSW for their extraordinary volunteer contribution to asbestos awareness. "When we started we didn't know anyone with asbestos-related disease. Now it's just part of us," Geoff said.

He said people are often surprised to learn about the places asbestos can be found.

"I've been a renovator, so I don't know what's in store for me down the line either."

He said the couple's role is to educate homeowners, renovators and tradies about how to identify, manage and dispose of asbestos safely.

Karen said they generally get a very good response on the road.

"Our website traffic increases by up to 200 per cent when we're on tour during Asbestos Awareness Month in November. Betty is a billboard in her own right.

"We have people come and share their stories of asbestos-related illness all the time. As we've gone on through the years we have both become very passionate about the cause."

She said as a team they have just the right skills to do the job.

"Geoff has the mechanical, renovation and engineering abilities. Betty's pretty well behaved on the roads, but in the Northern Territory a lot of things rattled!

"And I have the administration background.

"We do have to know the answers to people's questions or know where to direct people. We weren't used to public speaking before we did this, but now we are."

And as to when the couple might part ways with Betty? "We'll keep doing this work while we feel passionate about it," Karen said.

SafeWork NSW executive director Peter Dunphy said with asbestos remaining in one in every three Australian homes built or renovated before 1987, the commitment of Geoff and Karen deserves special recognition.

"Although there's no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres, we know that the greater the exposure to fibres, the greater the risk to health and of developing asbestos-related diseases," he said.

"Education is critical to prevention and over the past five years Geoff and Karen's unique voluntary commitment has enabled us to greatly increase awareness about the dangers of asbestos from cities to remote regions among homeowners, renovators and tradies across hundreds of communities."

IF YOUR home was built or renovated before 1987, it may contain asbestos. So it's important you know how to manage the mineral fibre safely.

Australia was among the largest consumers of asbestos-containing materials in the world; the substance was used in many building and decorator products still found in one in three brick, weatherboard, fibro and clad homes.

It can be under floor coverings, behind walls 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, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels.

If well maintained and left undisturbed, asbestos is unlikely to pose a health risk.

However, if asbestos-containing materials are disturbed and fibres are released, they can cause asbestos-related diseases.