For nearly three decades the people of Wingham and the upper Manning have been entrusting the health of their pets and livestock to Peter and Louise Rourke.
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On September 28, 2021, the couple spent their last day as owners of Wingham and Valley Vets, and are transitioning to semi-retirement. They have sold their share in the business, and leave Michael and Alissa Healy as the majority partners.
Peter and Louise first started their veterinary practice, then named Valley Vets, on May 23, 1994. Peter was the sole veterinarian (Louise, a qualified vet, was busy at home with babies), and he was helped by two girls, Julie Knowles and Kathy Slade, who job-shared the role of vet nurse/receptionist.
"Julie was a gem. She worked with us 17 years," Peter said.
Another long termer is the first vet Peter employed to join him, Sue Cook, who still works at the practice today.
Since those early days, the practice has grown to now house more than 22 staff, including eight vets.
The 106-year-old building that houses the business has also grown over the years, with additions to house state of the art equipment and an equine facility.
John Dooley, who originally owned Wingham Vets in Isabella Street, moved over to the Valley Vets in 2011, bringing with him his staff. The practice name then changed to Wingham and Valley Vets.
"It was easy for me," Peter said. "It was a huge deal for John, because he had to leave his premises, bring his staff up to our building, our software. We had probably twice the staff he had at the time, it was just really hard for him but he did really well.
"It was a really good move. Economies of scale - it made the business more profitable. It actually wasn't very profitable at all (beforehand)."
It wasn't the first time the couple had worked with John. Peter's very first job as a vet was with John in 1987, straight after graduating from University of Sydney, where Peter met Louise on orientation day on their first day of university.
"I could even tell you what he was wearing. I thought 'holy moley, I'm coming back again on Monday!'" Louise laughed.
"I was pretty gone as soon as I saw him."
While Peter worked with John, Louise was working in Victoria, and they had to endure a long distance relationship for 18 months.
After working with John Dooley for a year, Peter went overseas, with Louise later joining him, where they both worked as vets and travelled.
While overseas John Dooley called and offered them both a position at his practice in Wingham. They worked with John for three years before leaving to go to Tuncurry, where they thought they were going to buy into a practice, but it didn't eventuate.
"So then we decided to set up here," Peter said.
The Rourkes have made their marks on the veterinary community along the way.
They have won a few awards over the years, one of them being a "huge deal" - the Practice of Excellence award from the Australian Veterinary Association.
"There are only five of those awards in Australia, annually. We went to Perth to the conference. That was pretty exciting," Peter said.
"The thing that probably got us over the line was the fact that Lou was offering this behaviour service, which is a little bit unique in a country area."
Louise has become known for her work as an animal behaviourist and was one of the first to bring a behavioural service to a veterinary practice, particularly in rural and regional NSW.
It's been great to at least have our little corner so that we can push some more behaviour around and out and teach other vets and nurses.
- Louise Rourke
She first completed training as as Canine Good Citizenship trainer in 1996, only the second year it the course had run in Australia.
"That gave me a taste of dog training. And then I thought 'why not do a bit more?'" Louise said.
She then studied animal behaviour and sat rigorous exams in 1999 to become a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists.
"That was quite early for that," she said.
"I think I was about number 15 in Australia at that time to get that qualification. There's heaps now, which is great. And it just wasn't part of the veterinary world nearly as much. So it's been great to at least have our little corner so that we can push some more behaviour around and out and teach other vets and nurses."
Louise now trains other people in animal behaviour and consults, even as far as working with the RSPCA in Coffs Harbour.
Peter has also made a name for himself in diagnostic imaging. He has become obsessed (not too strong a word, he says) with ultrasound, and is often called to help out other vets in the MidCoast region and Port Macquarie.
"The reason I have a passion for it is it is just so useful diagnostically. It's improved our diagnostics enormously," he said.
Peter will continue to offer a referral ultrasound service to surgeries for a couple of days a week, and will still make himself available as a mentor to younger veterinarians at Wingham and Valley Vets. He's also keen to hit the books and study diagnostic imaging.
"I've got plans to try and get some more letters behind my name to try and catch up with Lou. It's a bit competitive!"
His plans are to sit the exams in 2022 to also become a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Sciences.
"So I'm not really retiring." he said.
Louise won't be retiring fully either. She will no longer be a consulting animal behaviourist, but will continue a role in education - teaching other vets and doing seminars.
When they are not studying, or "partly" working, the couple want to travel, spend more time on their sailing boat, and "fiddling around" on their 10 acre farm.
Reflecting back on the creation of Valley Vets and how bit the practice has grown, they realise what they have done is no mean feat.
"It was a big deal. It was a big deal for the town, I think," Louise said.
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