Committed to Education, Committed to Service
All members of the Snowy Vets staff have tertiary qualifications, and participate in ongoing training on a regular basis.
Snowy Vets strongly encourage further education and industry training as part of providing premium quality service to our patients and clients, as well as fostering an environment of positivity and self-improvement within our workplace.
Dr Mike Mesley
Mike was born on New Year’s Eve, 1977. He grew up and went to school in Sydney,
and studied Vet Science at Sydney University, qualifying in 2001.
After graduation, he moved to work in rural mixed practice in Young, NSW, and has worked in mixed practice ever since, including a stint in Windsor, England, working on the Queen’s corgis.
Just after he married Myolene in 2006, Mike came to work a short locum stint at the Baron St Vet Surgery. He loved the region, the practice and working with George so much he decided to make it home. He joined George as a partner in the business in 2007, and now is the sole director and owner of the business.
His four children Zara, Quinn, Raphael and Josephine have all been born since his move to the Monaro and the family now makes its home on the banks of the Snowy River near Dalgety.
Mike completed his specialisation in Veterinary Acupuncture in 2008 and has also studied Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine and use of Essential Oils to extend his alternatives to regular allopathic medicine in your pets.
He enjoys the constant and head-spinning variety that being a vet in rural mixed practice brings. He is passionate about natural medicine, the role of diet in good health, and enjoys the challenge of running a small business on top of it all. Mike also coaches and mentors other veterinary business owners in leadership, aiming to improve their working lives and business culture to support the industry on a wider level.
When not working in the veterinary world, Mike loves to spend time with his family and friends, play and watch sport, read as well as spend time in the great outdoors (and in his wine cellar). He looks forward to traveling to see more of Australia and the world in the coming years.
The Mesley household buzzes with Wire Haired terrier-cross Fly, RSPCA rescue cat Kingsley, horses Alfie and Willie as well as a rotating circus of poddy lambs, rehabilitating wildlife and other patients and guests.
Dr Colin Taylor
Colin grew up and went to school in south eastern Queensland, before he completed
a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from The University of Queensland in 1994.
Since then he has worked in a variety of Veterinary Practices in Queensland, London, New South Wales and in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, in both small animal and mixed practices.
Colin married Judy in 2000 and moved to Western Australia. Both their children, William and Molly, were born in the Kimberley.
Colin came to Snowy Vets from Broome as he and Judy were looking to move their young family east to be nearer to the extended family and enjoy the rural lifestyle. Snowy Vets offered an opportunity to move to a beautiful part of the country in a well-managed mixed practice.
Colin’s specialty lies in surgery. He enjoys challenging himself with cases requiring complex orthopaedic or soft tissue surgical intervention.
We often call upon him to perform cruciate ligament repair, fracture repair and complicated thoracic and abdominal surgery. Colin really enjoys the most challenging and diverse cases, which rural mixed practice seems to bring him surprisingly regularly.
In his spare time, Colin is a dedicated family man, a prodigious handy man and a strong contributor to his community.
Colin has numerous paddock pets and 2 snakes in the house.
Dr Grace Butler
Grace is originally from SE Queensland; were she grew up on a cattle property near a small
town called Goondiwindi. She grew up surrounded by animals on the farm and it was this that led her to become a veterinarian.
Grace travelled to Wagga Wagga to complete her degree at Charles Sturt University. During her time here she met her partner Huey, and upon completion of her degree, the permanent move to the snowy mountains required a job close by. She started work in a small animal practice in Canberra, travelling back and forward from home.
After nearly three years, the continuous driving to and from work in Canberra, is what lead Grace to Snowy Vets. She is excited to get the opportunity to be doing some mixed animal practice and really enjoys the diversity that being a vet brings (no day is ever the same).
When not at work Grace spends most of her time with her daughter, who keeps her hands fairly full.
Dr Aimee Watson
Dr Natalie Melis
Cath Sirett
Cath is originally from Sydney, where she attended school before moving to Central
West NSW, where she obtained her Bachelor of Management in 2003, at the University of Sydney, Orange Campus.
After graduating, she was employed in equine management positions first at a warmblood breeding enterprise, and then at a polo horse stud. Following this, she packed her dog and her horse and moved to Wee Waa to work as a Jillaroo on a large cattle and cropping property.
Cath eventually moved to Jindabyne and began work at a horse trekking business, moving to Berridale in 2008, and marrying Lindsay in 2010. She met George and Mike through their veterinary involvement with the horses, thought they seemed like good blokes and subsequently approached them for a job. They couldn’t believe their luck and hired her on the spot.
After beginning work at Snowy Mountains Veterinary Group in 2009, Cath completed her Certificate II in Animal Studies, and her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. She and Lindsay now live on 400 odd acres with their two sons Jim and Hazard Danger.
Cath loves the challenges that present themselves at Snowy Vets and the interaction with the community, clients and other members of the team which her position affords her.
In the future, Cath looks forward to focussing on team well being, team engagement and team empowerment and also improving her strategic management capabilities, whilst continuing to interact positively with the team.
Cath’s extended family includes Jules the Stumpy Jack Rattle Dog, Poppy the Kelp, a fleet of four steeds- Tilda, Ash, Sergeant Thundersocks and Nugget, not to mention her two grown poddy wethers Snowy and ShankBag and prize chook Bok Bok.
Ashleigh Bligh
Ashleigh grew up in Sydney, where she attended school, graduating in 2009.
She always wanted to help make a difference to people’s lives. This led her to the study of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Hypnosis, Life Coaching, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) completeing her masters in NLP.
In December 2010 she moved to Cooma with her mother, in search of a property. Not long after moving to town she met her partner Liam and hasn’t looked back.
After living in town for around a year, Ashleigh wanted to give back to the community and saw an opportunity to do so at Snowy Vets. Having no experience in this field, she threw herself in the deep end and is thoroughly enjoying the constant learning experience.
She bought a house with her partner Liam in 2014. Now married with 2 kids and 2 cats juggling mum and work life.
Maddie Bligh
Maddie grew up on the Central Coast and spent the first few years of her life living on a
Dairy Farm with her family.
After graduating High School, Maddie & her parents moved to Canberra with their two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Whilst in Canberra, Maddie worked extensively in Customer Service doing what she loves most, engaging with people and all the while studying Management and Small Business Management.
After an extensive Career in Hospitality & Retail Management, Maddie and her partner Tim moved to Nimmitabel in 2017 seeking the rural lifestyle and to make themselves a home. She continued working in the customer service industry which eventually led her to apply at Snowy Vets. She has never looked back.
Maddie and Husband Tim, as well as their two Springer Spaniels Gus & Luci, two cats Romi & Val as well as a plethora of chickens, love their life in Nimmitabel and enjoy being a part of this unique community. Maddie is so thrilled to have found a career at Snowy Vets where she gets to interact with Clients as well as pat and care for their beautiful pets. She is excited and cannot wait to continue to learn more about the animals and people in the area, as well as explore different avenues of management throughout the Veterinary Industry.
Fiona Abbott
Fiona grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand where she went through school and then gained
her National Certificate in Equine Stable Practice level 3.
Through this course she got a job as a polo groom which sent her across the Tasman to the Hunter Valley to work at Ellerston from October 2003. Here she met her now husband Jason who moved her and her two kiwi cats down to the Snowy Mountains in May 2006.
Starting off at Sundance Bakery suited her ‘sweet tooth’ very well, but she found she was starting to miss her fuzzy friends. She enrolled in an Animal Studies course at Goulburn TAFE and then, after a few chats with George and Mike, she became a work experience student early in 2007; initially part time, and moved to full time in October 2007. In August 2011 she graduated from TAFE with her Vet Nurse Certificate IV.
Fiona most enjoys helping to look after the animals on the Monaro and assisting the vets, especially the challenges and variety that involves. She loves being able to send a patient home, especially after a difficult case, and watching the reunion between best friends.
Fee’s two cats, Kizmet and Runty, and two dogs, Zemi and Captain Spud, are a huge part of her family.
Sarah Van Der Plaat
Julie Laneville
Ellie Mathot
Meg Poulton
Although Meg was born in Sydney, at the age of 3 her family made the big move to Berridale
Meg has always had a passion for animals, over the years she has looked after LOTS of animals and completed Animal studies. She became a Wildlife carer 15 years ago, mostly for birds and still cares for as many as she can.
She joined Snowy Vets in 2018 as part of our customer care team and is currently known as our resident bird lady as well as our Spreadsheet Queen.
Jack and Rosie are her adorable feline babies that she couldn’t imagine life without.
Eve McGrath
I grew up on the Central Coast, after finishing school, I did a snow season and was hooked.
I spent a year in Canada, and then returned to the Snowies every winter while finding somewhere new to explore during the summers. Hamilton Island and Melbourne were favorites.
In amongst my travel I stayed in Jindabyne for 6 years straight where I played for and was highly involved in the Jindabyne rugby Union Club- Some of the best years of my life, before travel once again called.
Inevitably the love for the snowies was too great and I eventually returned here to stay. I live on 15 acres with my finance, and 1 year old son Lane . We have a Cat-Pepper, Horses -Alan and Marshall (my clydie x pride and joy), and a new puppy on the way this year.
Coming from the banking world, joining the Snowy Vets team is a dream come true. 20 years of customer service has led me here and I’m so excited my new customer base includes all our furry and feathery friends.
