The first formal program of education for prosthetists and orthotists in Australia was established by the Repatriation Department in 1965. Known as the "XYZ course", the purpose of the training was to improve the clinical abilities and professionalism of limb makers and fitters in the Repatriation Artificial Limb and Appliance Centres (RALACs).

The course appears not to have satisfied these objectives and in 1973, the Department initiated discussions with a number of tertiary institutions about the establishment of a course in prosthetics and orthotics modelled on overseas programs. As a result of these discussions, a three year Diploma of Applied Science (Prosthetics and Orthotics) was established at the Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences in Melbourne.

In 1992, the Diploma course was upgraded to a three and a half year Bachelor of Prosthetics and Orthotics degree. In 1994, the four year Honours degree was offered for the first time and by 1996 the first Prosthetics and Orthotics doctoral student had enrolled.

In 1987, Lincoln Institute amalgamated with La Trobe University to become the Faculty of Health Sciences. Between 1993 and 1998, a new home for the Faculty of Health Sciences was developed at the Bundoora campus of La Trobe University in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. Over this period, the Faculty gradually relocated from the original campus in the CBD.

In 1997, the P&O department, by then known as the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics, was relocated to Bundoora Campus with clinical and laboratory work taking place in the purpose designed teaching facilities of the Health Sciences Clinic.

Our old "Building D" at the Carlton campus. This 100 year old factory was demolished in 1997

The NCPO logo depicts the interface between the human body and prosthetic/orthotic devices. The softer, rounded "swooshes" on the left represent the major segments of the body which prosthetists and orthotists treat. The sharper, grey "swooshes" on the right represent the engineered, mechanical devices created by prosthetists and orthotists to restore or replace lost function. The wavelike motion of the logo is evocative of the sinusoidal movement of the body during locomotion. The continuity of wave motion implies that, with appropriate prosthetic/orthotic management, what begins as a functional loss, becomes simply a functional change. The asymmetrical "swoosh" at the bottom of the logo reminds us that, despite our best efforts, restoration or replacement of function is less than perfect and that continued research is necessary to further improve function for users.

The logo design is the work of John Cotter of Campus Graphics at La Trobe University.