Even in her school days at Otago and Timaru Girls’ High Schools, Elizabeth Gunn was noted for her strength of character and determination. She took her medical degree at Edinburgh University, and returned to Wellington to practise. In 1912 she joined the newly-established School Medical Service, where she could be assured of a steady income and was unlikely to be hampered by bureaucratic constraints. Apart from three years of war service from 1915 to 1918, she was a formidable leader in the school service, inspecting children, usually in the company of their mothers, and dispensing diagnoses and advice with the support of the school nurse. While her visits were sometimes feared by both children and mothers (who often felt inadequate) her counsel was usually accurate and valued.

Elizabeth Gunn also recognised the good that could be accomplished if children suffering from poor nutrition or overcrowded conditions could experience good food, fresh air, and an open-air holiday. This concern led her to establish health camps: the first, in Turakina on the land of a friendly farmer, featured “toothbrush drill” and exercise routines reminiscent of a military square, but also provided hearty meals, regular sleep, and outdoor fun. Children often gained weight and fitness, and her initiative was built on by the health camp movement. Forthright, sometimes autocratic, but also described as “rollicking”, she had a tremendous impact on generations of school children and their families.