Our Team
Our dedicated team at Rangeside Vets includes experienced veterinarians and skilled vet nurses, all committed to providing exceptional care and compassion to your beloved pets. We treat your pets like they’re our own.
Dr Alistair Webb
Bachelor of Veterinary Science (First Class Honours), University of Queensland, 1987
Member of the Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, by examination in Feline Medicine 1994
Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
National Past-President of both the Australian Veterinary Association and the Australian Small Animal Veterinarians
Former Deputy Chair, of the Animal Ethics Committee at University of Southern Queensland from 2011 to 2023
“My decision to pursue a career as a Vet was actually as the result of an unplanned detour (I wanted to be a pilot but was not accepted into the air force on medical grounds). I loved animals and science, so my mother suggested I study Vet science while I figured out what I really wanted to do. Pretty much as soon as I started my course, I realised her wisdom was spot on!
“Initially, I wanted to work in mixed practice and work with cattle. But in 1990 in I attended a conference in Sydney on feline medicine, and that’s when I really knew that small animal practice was for me.
“For the first 17 years of my career, I worked for various other Vets here and overseas, and it was a very good experience in terms of figuring out exactly how I wanted to practice my profession, and how to manage a clinic.
“As well, it is so important to allow clients to get a sense of the people they are leaving their precious pet with. It is not the case for everyone, but we certainly seem to have built a clientele of people for whom their pets ARE family. We treat this trust with the utmost respect.
“There have been many stories over the years of situations when we did not think an animal was going to survive. I distinctly remember one patient (a small dog called ‘Joe’ that had been all but ripped to pieces by two big dogs). It was a relatively young dog, and the owner was absolutely devastated, so attempting to save the dog was not an unreasonable decision. I rang the owner twice during the surgery to let them know that I did not hold out a lot of hope. When the surgery was successful and the dog survived, it was incredibly rewarding. And it has forged a lifetime relationship with the dog’s owner that is impossible to fully describe.
‘It is these connections with our clients and their animals that make a sometimes very difficult job unbelievably rewarding’
“In 2004, I bought a small practice from Dr Peter McAuliffe and then in 2008 I merged it with a practice established by Dr Carol Smith at this present location. Since then, I have gathered around me a stable and tight knit team who share my values around animal care. We have become like a family to our clients, their pets, and each other.”
Alistair is an active member of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and has held many committee and leadership positions since 1995.
He is also a Director of the Australian Companion Animal Health Foundation a not-for-profit Foundation that raises and then distributes money for research into diseases affecting Dogs & Cats
Alistair also enjoys devoting his spare time to community and service organisations. He is an active member of The Rotary Club of Toowoomba East.
He is married to Marea, has two adult sons and one lively young Grandson. In his spare time Alistair also enjoys gardening, growing clivias, playing cricket and appreciating good red wine.
Dr Megan Weller – Veterinarian
BVSc (Hons) MTeach (EC)
Rangeside Vets is very pleased to have Dr Megan Weller join our team in 2025. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 2012 and brings many years of veterinary experience to the practice. Megan’s journey into veterinary medicine started, as it does for most vets, as a childhood interest in animals and evolved into a career driven by the satisfaction of healing. “The most enjoyable aspect of this profession is fixing our patients. When they walk in sick, and you can send them home better – there is just no greater feeling than that.” she said.
After initially working in mixed practice, Megan transitioned to small animal practice to provide focused, high-quality care to companion animals, while still enjoying the variety general practice. “I don't think I would be suited to doing just one type of thing every day,” she says. “In one hour, we could see a lame dog, an emergency wound repair and a first kitten vaccination – they’re all equally worth our care, knowledge and compassion to make their experience with us a good one.”
Megan values Rangeside Vets' privately-owned culture and supportive client base. She particularly enjoys working with clients who are interested in preventative health, noting that “we can prevent things rather than reactively treating them”. She believes that communication is the key to building strong relationships with clients – working together we can ensure that our patients live long, healthy and happy lives.
Dr Ruth Devlin
BVSc
Dr Ruth Devlin knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from the age of five. What started as a childhood dream to “be an animal doctor” has evolved into a quarter-century career dedicated to strengthening the bond between pets and their families.
Since graduating from the University of Queensland Veterinary School in 1997, Dr Ruth has spent most of her career working in the Toowoomba region. Her approach to veterinary medicine centres on one fundamental principle: balancing and working within each client's means to provide the best possible care.
This philosophy led her to join the Rangeside Vets team in May 2024. Rangeside Vets was different: "Everyone was happy, it was clean, it was open, it was fresh,” she recalls of her first visit. Most importantly, consultations at Rangeside allowed time to build genuine relationships with clients and thoroughly assess each animal's needs.
‘We have time to build that relationship with the client’
“The consultations can be half an hour. So we have time to build that relationship with the client, to look at the animal properly and to work out what is best for them. It was such a nice change of atmosphere and it's more about the animal-human bond and helping as much as we can.”
It's the collaborative environment at Rangeside that contributes to the quality of care provided. "It's a close-knit team,” she notes. “The relationship between the nurses and vets is smooth – so everything flows. We all help each other out. And I think our patients and their owners feel that when they walk through the door.”
This supportive atmosphere extends beyond professional duties. Staff members share coffee, chat about work and home life, and maintain the kind of positive environment that's immediately felt by clients visiting the surgery.
Dr Ruth has a special interest in small animal medicine and dentistry, but for Dr Ruth, veterinary medicine is about acknowledging the strength and depth of the animal-human bond and finding solutions that work best for every family.
Vet Nurse - Kara Morris
Head Vet Nurse, Cert 4 Vet Nursing
“I grew up on a farming property in regional NSW. I guess my interest in and love of animals started when I was a child. I started my Vet nursing career in 2004.
‘Love of animals started when I was a child’
“Over the years I have had a lot of mixed animal experience, which I have really enjoyed. I started working with Alistair in 2012 and then in 2014 I took time off to be home for my 2 children. It was so good to come back to the Rangeside vets team in 2020.”
“Our family pets are our dog Cricket who is a pro at chasing magpies and barking at nothing when it is dark outside. We recently adopted our new little ginger cat Otto - who comes with complete orange ‘cattitude’. We also have a lovely collection of highland cows who have claimed our paddocks, wallet and hearts.”
Vet Nurse - Catherine Pascoe
Veterinary Nurse, Cert 4 Vet Nursing
Bachelor of Science (Animal Biology) University of Southern Queensland, 1997
“I was always interested in microbiology and animal biology, but to be honest, I got into Vet nursing a bit by default after a friend told me about a Vet nurse job that was going in a big practice in Toowoomba. I also went on to work at Indooroopilly Vets in Brisbane for a time and then moved back to Toowoomba, where I worked for Dr Peter McAuliffe for 2 years. When Alistair bought Peter’s practice in 2004, I stayed on and have been working with Alistair ever since.
‘We all consider every pet as if it were our own, and our clients as though they are family.’
“I knew immediately that I wanted to remain at Alistair’s practice because he is all about best practice. He never cuts corners and gives clients a range of options wherever possible, that are always in the best interests of the animal. I also loved the atmosphere of the smaller clinic. It is so open and family oriented, plus there is never a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new. This is incredibly important to me because ultimately, I love working with animals and helping them when they are sick and in pain. They can’t tell us what is wrong, or help themselves, so I (and my colleagues here), take our responsibility very seriously.
Vet Nurse - Sam Kingston
Veterinary Nurse BSc (Marine Biology) Cert 4 Veterinary Nursing
Sam Kingston took an unconventional path to veterinary nursing, trading her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology for hands-on animal care as a Vet Nurse.
Growing up in a household where her father regularly cared for injured birds, Sam developed an early appreciation for helping animals in need. “My dad would have injured birds delivered to the house from the community and we would take care of them,” she recalls. “I just really liked helping animals. At times they rely on us for care, and it’s a privilege to help. They always seem to know we’re helping, which is very gratifying!”
After three years in veterinary nursing, Sam joined the Rangeside Vets team in May 2024, drawn by the clinic's community-focused approach. Having previously worked at a busy multi-vet clinic in Brisbane, she appreciates the more personal environment. “I like the sense of community here. Everyone's very close and we get to know our clients. At the bigger clinics, you don't tend to get to know your clients very well.”
When Sam is not working she enjoys spending time at home with her family that include a fiancé, two chubby Guinea Pigs, two eccentric cockatiels and a hobby fish tank.
Vet Nurse - Abby Taylor
Cert III in Animal Care Services - Veterinary Nurse Trainee
Abby Taylor has been part of the Rangeside Vets team since September 2024 and is currently completing her Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing.
A lifelong animal lover, Abby continues to build her skills while pursuing her veterinary nursing certification, combining her natural affinity for animals with the hands-on patient care that first drew her to the profession.
Originally considering a career in the veterinary field, Abby discovered her true calling during work experience. “I wanted to be a nurse more because we get to do more in-depth work with the patients – the treatment side of things rather than diagnostics,” she explains. What drives Abby most is working with critical cases. “I love nursing critical patients, helping animals get better and watching them go home at the end of the day,” she says. “That's what makes it all worthwhile.”
Abby joined Rangeside Vets after completing a trial shift that convinced her it was the right workplace for her. She credits the close-knit team environment as one of the best aspects of her work. "Everyone is so close – we're all friends, so going to work is actually fun."
While Abby has had many pets in her lifetime, her pride and joy is her Cavoodle, Alfie. Who everyone hears about wherever she goes. She believes having a special bond with her dog improves her sympathy and understanding for all clients and their much-loved animals.
Vet Nurse Trainee - Jemma Wuersching
Cert 2 Animal Studies, Vet Nurse Trainee
Jemma Wuersching took an unconventional path to veterinary nursing, spending eight years in childcare before following her childhood dream of working with animals.
"I always said I wanted to be a vet when I was growing up," she reflects. After having her own children, she decided to test the waters with her Certificate II in Animal Services and “absolutely found my calling”.
Jemma joined Rangeside Vets in January 2022 and since then has been studying for her Certificate 4 in Veterinary Nursing.
Jemma is detail oriented and particularly enjoys the technical aspects of her role, she particularly enjoys monitoring animals whilst under anaesthesia and also running blood tests! But it's the combination of animal care and client communication that truly drives her passion for the profession.
The close-knit team environment at Rangeside Vets suits Jemma perfectly. “We're all very family-orientated, and where we work is this former old house. So it's not so clinical and impersonal. It's very welcoming. It's a home. I would prefer this every day of the week to a big sterile practice. And I'm sure the animals do too, it's less intimidating for them. You can tell they feel more comfortable.”
Jemma keeps busy outside of work being Mum to 3 energetic sons, a wife to a builder husband and a fur mum to 3 dogs – 2 border collie crosses, Lexie and Ryder, and a Labradoodle called Nina.
Vet Nurse Trainee - Michala Tabikh
Veterinary Nurse trainee (Cert 3 Animal Care Services)
Michala is completing her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing at Rangeside Vets, where she has worked since February 2025. Born and raised in Toowoomba, Michala Tabikh began her veterinary nursing studies straight after finishing High School in 2023. While she initially considered studying to become a veterinarian, she discovered her true passion lay in the nursing side of animal care.
Michala first connected with Rangeside Vets during school-based work experience in Year 11, and the clinic's family-like environment ultimately drew her back. “The staff members – it's such a great environment. I feel very connected to them on a personal level. It’s a wonderful professional – but happy – atmosphere.”
Set to complete her Vet Nursing qualification in December 2025, Michala represents the next generation of veterinary professionals who understand that exceptional animal care requires both technical skill and genuine compassion for patients who cannot speak for themselves.
Of course, Michala has a collection of pets at home. Hannah is a DSH that she has cared for since she was a little kitten 13 years ago. Nala is an exuberant a 4 year old Boxer cross and a cheeky Lorikeet named Zazu.
James Fairnington
Reception / Vet Nurse
Veterinary Science Student – University of Queensland, Gatton
BBus(Hons) and Cert II Animal Studies
James has been a valued part of the Rangeside Vets team since April 2024. You can usually catch his smiling face on Saturday mornings when he takes care of reception duties.
In 2026 James will begin his final year of studies to become a Vet and we will be very sorry to lose him to the clinical placements that are required.
James lives in Toowoomba while studying and shares his time with his partner and a mischievous but fun loving year-old labrador named “Ozzie”