Meet the team putting your pets first
Our veterinarians are supported by our dedicated nurses, receptionists, practice manager and hospital attendant, who have your pet’s well-being foremost in our hearts and minds.
“You and your pet are our number one priority. If you are both happy, then so are we! Our mission is to provide you and your pet with the best possible care and service.”
We believe in working collaboratively, in alignment with our core values of Compassion, Respect, Enthusiasm and Education, to provide you and your pet with excellent care, customer service, and veterinary medicine. We are continually looking at ways to improve our standards of care through further education and constructive feedback.
Our Veterinarians
Dr Calvin Payne
Associate Veterinarian
Position: Associate Veterinarian
Role: Offer and provide gold standard veterinary care and services to all patients and clients. It is my responsibility to uphold the veterinary profession and work well with our team.
Pets: None, but I would love a Golden Retriever.
Work experience: Have a BSc double Major in Zoology and Botany, then went on to study a Bachelor of Veterinary Science where I graduated at the University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort. I have worked as a veterinarian in public health as well as small animal private practice between 2021 and 2022 in South Africa. I have since moved to Forster and have been working as a small animal Veterinarian from 2022 to 2025 (present).
Favourite food: Seafood and Braai’s (South African BBQ).
Favourite travel destination: Maldives.
Favourite Species: Rhino and Lion.
Loved ones: God, my wife and son as well as my extended family back in South Africa.
If you had One wish: Would love if my family members could move to Australia.
Zsuzsa James
Practice Manager
Position: Practice Manager
Role: Striving for client satisfaction and good relationships. Maintaining an efficient, profitable and professional workflow within the vet practice, whilst ensuring a happy working environment for all.
When did you start at SPAH: 19 March 2024
Pets: None here in Australia yet
Work Experience: Sales and Customer Care, Business Management and Interior Design
Favourite Food: All food, I love food but desserts are my favourite “food group”
Favourite Travel Destination: So many places to choose from. If I had to choose one that I have been to, it would be Austria. One I would love to travel to is Italy.
Favourite Species: Whale / Dolphin
Loved Ones: My 3 sons, My partner Kurt and his 3 adult children, my Mum in South Africa and my brothers and sisters.
If you had one wish: To eradicate poverty
Our Support Team
Sharni Sykes
Veterinary Nurse
Lauren McGee
Veterinary Nurse
Role: Vet Nurse
Started at Sweet Pea: June 2023
Pets: Frankie the Cavoodle & Casper the Lorikeet
Work Experience: Graduate Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
Favourite Food: Mango & Avocado together!
Favourite Travel Destination: Gold Coast
Favourite Species: Birds & fish
Loved Ones: Frankie & Casper, and my family at home in Singelton
If I had One Wish: That it is beach weather on all my days off
Levi Wells
Veterinary Nurse
Role: Veterinary Nurse
Started at Sweet Pea: June 2024
Pets: I have 2 dogs; Ari – an 8 year old Border Collie x Ridgeback, and Buddy – a 5 year old American Staffy. I also have a 3 year old medium haired cat named Kenji who is more like a son then a pet.
Work Experience: I have completed my Cert II in Animal Care, Cert III in Animal Care Services and I am currently studying my Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing at TAFE. I have worked in a previous practice for over a year.
Favourite Food: Anything Italian! Strong contenders are lasagna & pizza. Also, does coffee count?
Favourite Travel Destination: I don’t travel much so I’d say visiting my siblings up near Grafton. I don’t see them often and I enjoy spending time with them alot.
Favourite Species: Cats! Felines of all kinds, big and small.
Loved Ones: My siblings, and Step Mum, my Nan and Pop and my Step Dad. The dogs and my cat Kenji, but most of all, my Mum. I wouldn’t be half the person I am now without her.
If I had One Wish: For everyone to be okay all the time and the world to have no worries. Or infinite pasta!
Barnabus Sweet Pea
Hospital Security
Role: Sit atop inappropriate spaces and oversee proceedings, lounge about the place looking regal, salutes to the sun.
Started at Sweet Pea: This dude is pre-Sweet Pea. I know all the ins and outs!
Pets: I have so many dogs, I have lost count of their names. They come in and out all day long, one after the other.
Work Experience: Oh, I know how to work it!
Favourite Food: Anything that is not mine eg. Krispy Kreme doughnuts gifted to the nurses, bread rolls or sandwiches in the staff room, meat pies cooling on the window sill, you get the picture!
Favourite Travel Destination: Consult Room 1
Favourite Species: Humans are okay, I guess.
Loved Ones: The Sweet Pea Team and Daisy <3
If I had One Wish: That I could eat what I want, when I want!
Daisy Sweet Pea
Staff Supervisor
Role: To find the highest, most inaccessible, and disruptive place to supervise everyone. I fulfil my role to the best of my ability.
Started at Sweet Pea: I arrived as a tiny lost kitten in February 2019 and decided to stay!
Pets: Barney
Work Experience: I have not worked a day in my life and don’t intend to start anytime soon.
Favourite Food: Bugs
Favourite Travel Destination: The Meeting Room – it used to be so easy to access and was so chilled out but that’s all changed now. They’ve closed the borders. It’s so hard to get in there!
Favourite Species: Bugs
Loved Ones: Barney is okay, I guess.
If I had One Wish: That I could visit The Meeting Room any time I like and destroy as many chairs as I want to.
