Farmers and pet owners in the outback town of Longreach faced a difficult future just a year ago as the only veterinary clinic within nearly 400 kilometres was set to close.
"The next clinics are at Charleville, Hughenden and Emerald, so if it did close it would put so many people out and put so many people in really bad situations from annual check-ups to emergencies," veterinarian Daniel Stanke said.
But then Longreach graziers James and Manny Walker bought the clinic to keep it open.
Friends and family told them to run a mile from their unusual farm diversification move, while a financial adviser advised "be hesitant".
"It's just a vital business for the region so it was important to to try and keep it going," Mrs Walker said.
Their friends were right, there were very good reasons not to buy the business, including a chronic shortage of rural vets and the couple's lack of experience.
"I think they were probably right in thinking that, but I was up for a challenge," Mr Walker said.
Mrs Walker quit her job as a relief teacher to run the practice while Mr Walker started recruiting.
"It really was the steepest learning curve ever ... a second career I wasn't looking for," Mrs Walker said.
"It's been a great a challenge and it's not been easy."
A locum vet had four days left on her contract when the Walkers bought the practice so finding new staff was critical.
They offered flexible hours and housing as well as much higher salaries to attract vets to their town.
Mr Walker said he didn't quibble about paying more than other clinics after he spent a week shadowing one of the practice vets, including 12 after-hours calls.
"I was absolutely exhausted," he said.
"I think vets are underpaid to tell you the truth.
"If you look at them compared to the medical fraternity, I think they are just undervalued.
"They're extraordinary, so we pay well, we have to."
Crucial step
A big milestone was achieved this week with the arrival of two vets who will live in Longreach.
The couple join Max Woods, a fly-in fly-out vet, who arrives from Brisbane on Mondays and heads home on Fridays.
"It's a really good community with good clients and some very innovative people in the agricultural industry that I get to work with every day," Dr Woods said.
"It's made the job really great, and I can't bail on that now or leave them hanging out to dry."
Dr Woods said plans to turn the clinic's stables into an equine reproduction centre would keep him in Longreach longer.
"There's plenty of expensive horse flesh and high quality, high genetic horse flesh here," he said.
"So if you have the right facilities, the right staffing, yeah definitely there would be opportunity for it."
Trucking an injured horse to a vet isn't possible if they're seriously lame.
Ingrid Miller's horse Dutton was badly injured after being caught in a wire fence.
Dr Stanke drove out and treated the horse within hours of receiving the call.
"You can't ask for more than that, if I get sick, I don't think I can get into a doctor that quick," Ms Miller said.
"It's a very unique and special service to have."
Sign of success
With more vets on staff, the Walkers have started to expand services.
They recently bought a building 200 kilometres away in Blackall to set up another day clinic.
It came after they renovated a second-hand dog grooming trailer last year so residents didn't have to drive for half a day for a dog clip.
It was booked out in two days.
Staff said they were impressed with their new bosses and the risks they had taken buying into such a tough industry.
"I thought like good on him, 100 per cent good on him because it's not that common for non-veterinarians to buy practices," Dr Stanke said.
"I knew it would be full on for them both, but someone needed to do it."
While many of the couple's farm business skills were transferable, Mrs Walker said running a veterinary practice was a very different game.
"There's a little bit more flexibility in agriculture, whereas there's just not a lot of flexibility in the clinic," she said.
"It's intense every day and the phone never, never stops ringing."
Mr Walker said he hoped farmers around the country would be inspired to step into a new business if their town or region was about to lose an important service.
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