Wangoom's Ella Titmus has moved from one end of Australia to the other to become a vet - and she has plans to cover every other part of our country in her new profession.
Ms Titmus, who received a DemoDAIRY Foundation tertiary scholarship to assist her veterinary science study at James Cook Townsville, plans to team-up with a fellow student and create a mobile vet clinic.
"I'm thinking about getting a mobile vet clinic and travelling around Australia for a couple of years because I haven't had a chance to travel as yet," she said.
"I live with another vet student and we're thinking of doing it together; getting an old ambulance and fitting it out."
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The idea was inspired by a mobile artificial insemination clinic back in western Victoria.
After travelling, Ms Titmus plans to settle and work in rural Victoria.
As she wraps up the first year of her five-year course, Ms Titmus says her scholarship has already helped.
"We don't have many COVID-19 restrictions but a lot of the course is online, though we still have practical work on-site with horses and cattle," she said.
"I used the scholarship to buy a printer, office chair and other study material for my room and having that set-up makes it so much easier."
The scholarship also helped Ms Titmus to buy textbooks and uniforms.
"I really appreciate the opportunity it has given me to fully immerse myself in the degree and give me the best chance at becoming a fully qualified vet," she said.
Ms Titmus had been considering different options in 2020 but eventually settled on veterinary science.
"My family has a little beef and sheep property near Wangoom and we had lambs during COVID-19 lockdown and that consolidated it," she said.
"I was pretty keen on doing vet after that."
Although now living in tropical northern Queensland, she keeps in touch with a new generation of lambs.
"They've got some lambs at the moment and Mum and Dad are face timing me with them," she said.
DemoDAIRY Foundation's 2022 scholarships are now open.
More information can be found at https://www.demodairy.com.au/scholarships-and-grants/ or from DDF board member Ian Teese on 0427 358987 or itag@bigpond.com.
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