About Us

Kulnura Vet Clinic started as a mobile practice in 1999 to meet the growing demands of locals for a vet. Within a short space of time the need for a fully equipped clinic became apparent, and the clinic was built.

Dr. Anna Pillich (The Kulnura Vet)

Dr. Anna Pillich is the owner and vet. After graduating from Queensland University in 1994, she spent several years in a very mixed practice in Maryborough QLD which resulted in a great breadth of knowledge. Anna then spent some time doing research work until going back to small animal locum (relief) work on the Central Coast.

It was whilst she was living in Kulnura that people started knocking on the door looking for a vet, and the rest is history. Anna has a special interest in dermatology and emergency medicine. Locum vets work at the clinic occasionally so Anna gets some time off. Anna still enjoys riding and competing with the horses, teaching at the local pony club and tries to find some spare time for photography.

Anna is also a member of the Kulnura Rural Fire Brigade and can often be seen behind the wheel of the fire truck.

Michelle Morris (Head Vet Nurse)

Michelle grew up in Sydney, her family enjoyed country holidays in Burralong Valley so much that they moved there when she was 8 years old. They lived there with their extended family of horses, dogs, cats and birds until they recently moved to Somersby. Once there, the family grew some more to include ducks and a peacock.

It is no wonder that with all her exposure, and love for, animals that soon after completing her HSC Michelle soon began working as a vet nurse.

In November 2003 Michelle made her way back to the mountain and Kulnura Veterinary Clinic.

She really enjoys her work, but still makes time to ride her horses and competes in dressage, show jumping, and pony club events, she also helps instruct at her local pony club at Mangrove Mountain. Michelle is also a Wildlife ARC rescuer. Some of her other interests include playing the piano, tennis, ten pin bowling, going to the gym, travelling (as can be seen from the picture below taken while on a cruise with friends in 2002) and going out with friends.

So far, she has found working at Kulnura Veterinary Clinic a wonderful experience. She has met many fantastic clients (and their owners) to make for a most enjoyable and rewarding time.

Michelle (left) in a cruise with buddies in 2002

Natalie Chatwood (part-time nurse)

Natalie grew up on different farms from Brisbane to Tottenham (200kms West of Dubbo) and has always been in her element when surrounded by animals. She has raised and bred many different animals from turkeys, geese and ducks to sheep, cows, horses, cats, rabbits and dogs.

On leaving school Natalie decided to become a chef. She then spent the next ten years working for some award winning restaurants in the Hunter Valley’s Wine Country, Pokolbin.

After deciding to follow her life long dream to work with animals, Natalie decided to leave the restaurants of Pokolbin and head for Scone to study to be a Veterinary Nurse. Spending her first 2 years as a Veterinary Nurse at Singleton Veterinary Hospital, Natalie worked with a large team of vets and nurses specialising in large and small animals. Natalie took time out to do some work with the Northern Sydney Specialist Centre and the foal unit at Scone Veterinary Hospital.

At the beginning of this year Natalie moved from the Hunter Valley to live with her parents on a chicken farm here in Kulnura. This allowed her to attend the University of Newcastle to study Bachelor of Science with the aim of transferring to Veterinary Science next year in Sydney.

Natalie joined Anna and Michelle at Kulnura Veterinary Clinic in July of this year. She enjoys working on the mountain and chatting with the locals and looks forward to seeing you on your next visit.

Natalie with friends

Anupam Sharma (Vet Student)

My name is Anupam Sharma. Anupam in ye old Hindi means unique or incomparable. My mother is a diplomat thanks to whom I traveled a lot.

My father is an engineer in Kuwait. I was actually born in Kuwait and at a young age of 3 months was then taken to India to be shown off to my family. I spent the first 4 years of my life in Ankara, Turkey. I don't remember very much of it at all. I then spent another 3-4 years in India and thereafter went to Dubai for 4 years. Best years of my teen life were spent there. For high school I went back to India to an air force school. I came to down to Australia in 2002 to study veterinary science at University of Sydney.

I was inspired to become a veterinarian when I was in second grade. I did not grow up with animals, in fact; because we moved around so much Mum didn't allow me to have any (not even a fish). I now have 2 cats that I've had for two and a half years. They are more like cat-dogs. They're gorgeous! Whenever things get tiring they are always there to cheer me up and remind me why I got into this profession to start with.

Rose (Vet Student, 12 sept - 7 Oct 2005)

My name is Rose and I’m due to graduate from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in T minus 7 weeks and counting! I grew up in Scone, the horse capital of Australia, and lived in Adelaide, Melbourne and Jakarta in Indonesia before starting Uni in Sydney. During the last 5 years I’ve had aspirations to be everything from a dairy to a wildlife vet, but have more recently settled on the idea of becoming Australia’s first ‘Small White Fluffy’ specialist. At home I have a fat cat called ‘Buffy’ who spends all day sleeping or doing circuits around the outside of the pool, a young Pomeranian who acts like a large superball crossed with a pom-pom, and of course a Maltese called Min (and otherwise known as Princess Vespa).
In the last year, I have spent a month at a time working in different veterinary practices around NSW. Kulnura is my 11th placement and in 2 days I’ve already picked up a few pearls of wisdom and tricks of the trade from Anna and Michelle. I’m looking forward to being able to help out and learn some more during the next few weeks

Rose with recovering dog during her first week