We love getting to know you and your fur family. Here is some insider information about our Motto Farm family so you can get to know us too.
Veterinarians
Dr Martin Strong BVSc, MANZCVS (sas)
After graduation in 1993 from Sydney University he began working with Dr Robert Zammit and had the opportunity to increase his knowledge and skills in all aspects of small animal veterinary science with the particular interest in small animal reproduction. In 1997 Martin bought the practice and has enjoyed improving the facilities and services provided to our clients.
In 2001 Martin completed further study in small animal surgery and obtained his membership to the Australian College of Veterinary Science which has enhanced his knowledge and skills in this field. Since then his education has continued and in 2007 he was certified by the University of Pennsylvania to submit Penn Hip XRays and was accredited by AQIS in 2008 to perform pre-export examinations. Further training has led to Martin now performing cruciate ligament repairs with the TTA method and he is having great success.
In his leisure time he enjoys riding and training horses, kayaking and playing with his beloved dog “Chilko”
Dr Ali Gollan BVSc
Ali graduated from Sydney University in 2008. She worked for 3 years in mixed practice, QLD before moving to the Hunter. She has been a part of the Motto Farm Vet Hospital team since 2014. She enjoys soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery and is completing further study in this area. She also has a special interest in equine dentistry and runs a separate equine dental business when not at the clinic.
Ali keeps busy looking after young kids and puppy, a small cattle farm, and eventing her horses.
Frances Ng BVSc (hons) MANZCVS (Emergency and Critical Care) N8827
Frances hails from tropical Malaysian Borneo and completed her degree in the University of Melbourne in 2008. She moved into the local area shortly afterwards and started her career in mixed practice which she pursued for 3 years. She spent the next 5 years practising emergency medicine in Newcastle. During this time, she performed further studies in the field and became a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientist in the Emergency and Critical Care Chapter. Frances hung up her emergency hat in 2018 and has been in the Motto Farm family since then.
Frances shares her life with a cat named “Casper” (guess what colour he is!) In her spare time, she likes counting her goldfish and organizing her bees. She is a regular donor in the blood bank and likes travelling sometimes. If you are lucky, you may spy her wandering up and down the isles at the local Bunnings. This is where most of her pocket money goes.
Nurses
Melissa Cowan (Head Nurse/Cert IV Veterinary Nurse)
Melissa joined the Motto Farm team in 2006 and completed her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2007.
While she enjoys nursing Mel is often found in our reception area where she loves to have a chat with our clients. She knows everyone’s face and remembers everyone’s stories. Melissa is the head nurse at our hospital and an integral part of our team. We would be lost without her organising the staff and especially the vets.
Outside of work Melissa loves to spend time with her 2 kids and her furbabies, including 4 rescue cats: “Speed”,”Staria”, “Scrappy” and “Alfie”. And her 3 dogs, “Joker” the Shih tzu, “Zom” the Staffy, and “Phoenix” the Dalmation.
Erica Oldfield (Veterinary Nurse)
Erica started nursing in 2006 in Alice Springs where she enjoyed working in remote aboriginal communities while she studied Veterinary Nursing via correspondence. Erica started at Motto Farm in July 2009 where she has loved being a part of the community since, taking time off in-between to raise her beautiful young family.
Now she will often be there to welcome you in the door with a big smile as you arrive. She loves to be there to see our clients and go that extra mile to make sure you get everything you need. Erica enjoys all aspects of nursing (just not so much cats’ lol she is definitely a dog person)
At home Erica’s fur family includes 2 border collies and a new kitten.
Anna Clulow (Cert IV Veterinary Nurse)
Anna completed her veterinary nursing studies in 2016, and has worked at Motto Farm since late that year when she joined the team full time.
She is a very passionate nurse and has a particular interest in surgical and hospital cases, and loves nothing more than seeing her patients have a positive experience and outcome.
In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her 2 cats, “Gary” and “McCat”, and riding and competing with her horse “Duke”.