The Australian Lung Foundation was established in 1990 by a group of thoracic physicians concerned about the chronic shortage of funds for research work in respiratory medicine and the impact of lung disease on our community.

It was observed that a lung foundation had been successfully established in the United Kingdom (British Lung Foundation) and the United States (American Lung Association). Both these organisations had a long and successful track record in fundraising, advocacy, education and support.

The ALF was established under the inaugural chairmanship of Dr Geoffrey McLennan, and from 1990 - 1994 was administered by volunteers and a National Council, comprised of mainly medical professionals.

In 1994, the Chairmanship of the ALF shifted to Dr Robert Edwards, a Queensland-based Thoracic Physician. Coinciding with this, a grant was generously forthcoming from Allen+Hanbury's to allow for the establishment of a permanent, professional National Secretariat, based in Brisbane, to administer the affairs of the ALF.

Therein commenced an intensive stage of consolidation, planning and development which equipped the ALF to move into an exciting new phase of growth, which included the establishment of a National Patient Support Group Network, the establishment of the Lung Foundation website, the staging of a major National Summit Conference to determine future research directions, and the set up of multidisciplinary consultative groups in major lung disease categories.