Rex Vivian-Blaubaum was born on 23 August 1905 in Scotsdale, Tasmania. His father, Athol Blaubaum, was a consultant at the Alfred Hospital, and his mother was Blanche, nee Vivian. He was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne, and then entered the medical college of Melbourne University where he qualified MB, BS with honours in 1930. After resident posts in the Alfred Hospital he came to England before the second world war. He specialised in otolaryngology and passed his FRCS in 1941. He joined the RNVR as a specialist surgeon and saw service in hospitals in Scotland, Trincomalee and in the Far East. After demobilisation in England in 1946 with the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander he returned home and was appointed assistant surgeon in the ENT department of the Alfred Hospital, becoming full surgeon in 1951. He retired in 1962. He was a keen motorist taking part in many rallies and hill climbs and was a skilled yachtsman with a great love for the sea. A keen reader, he collected books which he housed in his own handsome library. He enjoyed collecting antique glass and furniture and was interested in silversmithing. He married Jean Constance Ennis who was a trained nurse and they had two sons and a daughter who also became a nurse. He died in 1987.