At the age of 102, Australia's oldest working scientist says he has not given up hope he can retain his office and freedom on campus after a Perth university told him to leave his post.

Honorary research associate Dr David Goodall has been inundated with support from around the country after the news he had been declared unfit to be on campus made headlines.

The esteemed ecologist has even been contacted by scientists in Europe supporting his right to work on campus at an academic institution.

His position is unpaid and largely involves reviewing academic papers and supervising PhD students.

Dr Goodall has been working as scientist for more than seven decades. ( Supplied: Karen Goodall-Smith )

Despite the phone ringing off the hook, Dr Goodall doesn't watch television and hasn't seen the online articles.

"It's been a bit of an exceptional week of course, I certainly haven't followed my normal routine," he said.

But at 102, Dr Goodall lives an exceptional life.

Still an avid traveller, he took a trip to the Abrolhos Islands, 60 kilometres off the West Australian coast with his daughter and a naturalist group in May this year.

Dr Goodall went on small boat tour to observe the seals and explored the deserted islands looking for wildlife.

It was trip down to memory lane, as he first published research about the crayfish pots in the area in 1960s.

Dr Goodall also took The Ghan train journey from Darwin to Adelaide solo at the end of 2015.

"It was good to see it all again. It was nice trip, but I would have preferred to have company, I was rather lonely," he said.

Dr Goodall visited the Abrolhos Islands in May with his daughter and a naturalist group. ( Supplied: Karen Goodall-Smith )

He lives alone unassisted, does his own shopping on the weekends and travels to the Joondalup campus at least four days a week, making the 90-minute commute that involves catching two buses and a train.

Dr Goodall still enjoys reading Shakespeare and performs poetry to a reading group every week with 10 other friends.

"I'm the oldest, we call ourselves Well Versed. We read and perform poetry of all sorts at different locations around Perth. Luckily it's in the daytime because since my licence was taken away I rely on public transport," he said.

Watch Duration: 52 seconds 52 s Watch Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Australia's oldest scientist fights for career ( ABC News )

Dr Goodall became the chief editor of the journal Ecosystems of the World when he retired at the age of 65, editing about 30 volumes, including the works of 500 authors from many countries.

He still reviews and edits papers for different ecology journals, and was publishing his own research until 2014.

He has embraced technology and has used a computer for decades.

Dr Goodall and his second wife Muriel at their wedding in 1949 in Melbourne. ( Supplied: Karen Goodall-Smith )

Dr Goodall has produced more than 100 research papers, earning three doctorates and receiving a member of the Order of Australia.

He received his PhD from Imperial College in London, and then moved to Ghana for his first job in the cocoa industry.

Dr Goodall has been married three times and has four children.

He said he was not allowed to join the defence forces during WWII while undertaking his doctorate.

"I did in fact have a medical examination for the Navy, but as soon my boss heard of this he said no, no, no you can't take my researchers, they are much more important to the world of agriculture, than the war effort," he said.

He was then appointed to a senior lecturer position at the University of Melbourne, before working for the CSIRO in tobacco industry in North Queensland and later in mathematical statistics.

Dr Goodall became a professor and leader in the field of desert ecology, working at the universities of California and Utah, before returning to Perth and undertaking fieldwork in the Kimberley and Great Western woodlands.

Dr Goodall worked in senior research roles in Africa during his early career. ( Supplied: Karen Goodall-Smith )

After almost two decades at Edith Cowan University, from next year, he has been told to pack up his office and will only be permitted on campus for prearranged meetings, to which he will have to be accompanied.

The university said the decision was made after numerous concerns were raised by staff and students about Dr Goodall's safety and wellbeing.

ECU vice-chancellor Professor Steve Chapman said the university had identified risks associated with Dr Goodall travelling to and from campus.

"We also have concerns about his general wellbeing when on campus. To minimise these risks, we have consulted with him and his family and reached an agreement to set up a home office at a location of his choosing," he said.

Dr Goodall said the decision highlighted the issue of ageism in the workplace.

"It's depressed me, it shows the affect of age. The question would not have arisen if I were not an old man," he said.

"I would hope that my example may lead to other people being able to continue being active in their field, up to a very advanced age like me. They should be given every opportunity of doing so in the society in which we live in."

Dr Goodall is on the editorial board of the journal Tropical Ecology ( ABC News: Laura Gartry )

Professor Goodall's daughter Karen, who met with the university this week, said the requirement for her father to have a carer on campus was unnecessary.

"I think that is very demeaning and disempowering," she said.

"People are staying healthier for longer, and if a person wants to work and is able to work and contribute then I think that each case should be judged on its merits.

"All of us are going to get old and does that mean that we are not expected or wanted to contribute if we can, or just put into nursing homes or forced to have a carer just because we are not as physically able as we used to be?" Ms Goodall-Smith said.

"He is a very intelligent, bright man, sharper than many people a quarter of his age."

Ms Goodall-Smith said it had been a very stressful time for her father.

Dr Goodall believes advanced age or diminishing physical ability should not be a barrier to contributing to society. ( ABC News: Laura Gartry )

"David is very resilient, but I think it would shatter him once it happens," she said.

"We have to do something quickly to change the situation. I've been worried about how David would cope with this, it's been a whirlwind," she said.