An Australian firefighter has died in a Swiss euthanasia clinic, leaving a message for politicians and voters.

Key points: Despite Victoria legalising voluntary assisted dying, Mr Thornton did not qualify

Despite Victoria legalising voluntary assisted dying, Mr Thornton did not qualify He could not find two doctors who would say he would certainly die within 12 months

He could not find two doctors who would say he would certainly die within 12 months Mr Thornton wanted his death to start a national discussion on dying well

Troy Thornton, 54, died by lethal injection late on Friday, Australian time.

His wife Christine was there to hold his hand, but he died without his two teenage children by his side.

The Victorian man said he wanted the nation to think deeply about the concept of dying well, and to challenge the notion that choosing death is somehow wrong.

He wanted to legally end his life at home in Australia, with all those he loved around him.

But despite Victoria becoming the first state to legalise voluntary assisted dying, he did not qualify.

His disease — multiple system atrophy — is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. There are no treatments and there is no prospect of recovery, but death can take years.

That's where the Victorian laws fall down, Mr Thornton said.

He could not find two doctors willing to say with absolute certainty that he would die within 12 months, which in his case is a condition to access the legislation.

That left him with Switzerland as a solution to end his suffering, albeit without his children, his extended family and his circle of friends.

"Doctors have always told me that you don't die of it, you die with it. You can live for quite a few years, but… you end up being a vegetable," he said from the Swiss city of Basel.

"After a while it attacks different systems, breathing, swallowing. I'd end up drowning in my own mucous, that's what happens."

He called his disease a "beast": one that takes everything away slowly.

"First you can't swim, then you can't run, walk, kick the footy with your children, you can't surf, drive; eventually it takes your career. Then you end up being a vegetable.

"It's a pretty grim way to go out."

He described every day as "like Groundhog Day" — filled with incessant vertigo, double vision and nausea.

"I've just had enough, but unfortunately the laws, while they are a huge step in the right direction, they don't help me. They discount a lot of people."

He urged Australian voters to tell their politicians what they wanted when it comes to end of life choices.

"When it's our life, we should have control. We should be able to choose if we are of sound mind. That's what I'd like to say."

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said while the circumstances of the case were "quite tragic", the Government had put a lot of time and effort into making sure there were appropriate checks and balances in the system.

"The criteria the legislation sets down had not been met, which was essentially two specialists being prepared to sign off on the imminently terminal nature of the disease," he said.

"[The tests are there] for a good reason. They're there to protect vulnerable Victorians at what can be clearly a very traumatic time in their life."

Victoria's assisted dying legislation comes into effect in the middle of this year.

AAP/ABC