Our Staff
Our Vets
Clinical Lead Veterinarian
Has been the owner and principal Veterinarian at the Forest Hill Veterinary Hospital for the last 27 years.
He was born in England and moved to Australia with his family in 1969. David grew up in Glen Waverley & went to school at Mount View primary school & then Glen Waverley High School. He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1986 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science with honours.
David has worked his entire career in large, veterinary practices in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, more specifically Brandon Park Veterinary Hospital & the Monash Veterinary Clinic. The large case load at these practices has enabled David to build extensive experience as a small animal general practitioner. Although David enjoys all aspects of small animal veterinary practice, his areas of expertise & passion include surgery, lameness diagnosis, oncology & reproduction.
David thoroughly enjoys the relationships he has built with many long-term clients and their pets at the Forest Hill Veterinary Hospital. It is these relationships & the immense satisfaction that comes with helping to improve the quality of life of his patients that he loves most about being a vet!
When David is not at the practice his spare time is fully occupied with his family – his wife Deirdre & his three children, James, Thomas & Ruby.
His passions outside of veterinary practice are surfing, fishing, scuba diving & cheering on the Richmond Tigers!
Associate Veterinarian
Joined Forest Hill Veterinary Hospital in February 2016. Les is a great all-rounder, as much at home in the theatre as he is diagnosing and managing difficult medical problems in dogs, cats & even our feathered friends.
After working at the RSPCA for 13 years, he wanted to join a smaller more family orientated veterinary hospital so that he could develop closer patient and client relationships.
Leslie was born in East London, a small coastal city in South Africa and graduated in 1988 from Pretoria University with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree. After graduating he completed 2 years of conscripted army service where he served as a veterinarian looking after military horses and dogs. He started in small animal private practice for a couple of years before going back to University to complete an honors degree in wildlife management. After a few locum opportunities to take care of birds and wildlife Leslie started working at the Johannesburg Zoo full-time, where he remained until the family made the decision to emigrate to Australia.
After arriving in Australia Leslie started work at the RSPCA, where he settled in to small animal veterinary practice and became acutely aware of animal welfare issues that still, unfortunately, persist in our society.
Leslie’s leisure time is mostly spent with the family. He enjoys bird-watching in the great outdoors, gardening, sailing, kayaking and fishing.
Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Olivia joined the Forest Hill Veterinary Hospital team in October 2024, wanting to practice closer to home after previously working at a small animal practice in the Yarra Valley. She completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Veterinary Biomedicine, and subsequently achieved accelerated entry into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Melbourne.
Whilst Olivia loves all aspects of small animal practice, she has developed a particular passion for veterinary dentistry and behavioral consults. Olivia loves helping pets feel more comfortable through high quality dental care and tailoring preventative health care plans to each individual patient. She also has a strong interest in medicine, and loves to work closely with owners to ensure they feel informed and supported throughout all aspects of their pet’s care.
Olivia grew up riding horses and competing in dressage in the Yarra Valley. In her spare time when she’s not at the stables, Olivia enjoys finding all the best coffee spots, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Olivia also cherishes the memories of her beautiful rescued Rottweiler, Kobe, whose unwavering loyalty and companionship continue to inspire the empathy and compassion she brings to work every day.
Our Nurses
Since returning to the industry, Farrah has worked in specialty emergency and referral practice, including veterinary anaesthesia, before moving into practice management. She is passionate about mentoring veterinary nurses, supporting team wellbeing, and advocating for the veterinary profession. A strong supporter of the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia (VNCA), Farrah is dedicated to raising awareness of the diverse skills and expertise that veterinary nurses and veterinarians bring to the care of their patients. Above all, she believes in being a voice for animals and ensuring every patient receives compassionate, high-quality care.
Outside of work, Farrah enjoys travelling in her caravan with friends and taking her dogs along on the adventure. She shares her home with a small army of pets, including Pixie, her much-loved rescue French Bulldog. Born with two congenital heart defects, Pixie is very much “here for a good time, not a long time” and serves as a daily reminder to cherish every moment and make the most of life’s adventures.
Jenny is one of the longest standing members of Forest Hill Veterinary Hospital. She has recently returned to the practice after spending time away with her 3 children, who keep her very busy outside of work with their extracurricular activities.
Outside of work, she enjoys watching her kids play sport, walking Hank & baking.
Your pets are in good hands with Jenny as she will look after them, like she does us, like family.
She has a cheeky staffi at home, Hank who is the king of the house and much loved by the whole family.
Tammy has worked at the Vermont South Veterinary Clinic for many years until the practice closed its doors.
Tammy works part-time through the week, which suits her busy family life which involves running around after her two gorgeous daughters, husband and menagerie of pets. She has been a part of our team since 2013. With her wealth of experience and knowledge you are in good hands when Tammy is looking after you!
Tammy is pictured here with her Blue point Ragdoll named Tommy (R.I.P.). Tammy also has Badger the Staffy whom she helped deliver via C-Section! Additionally, Tammy has three rescue cats, Dotti, Little Kit and Mouse, along with two rabbits Delilah and Choccy.
Tammy is another passionate Collingwood supporter and we won’t hold that against her! Tammy always goes that extra mile for you and your pet and we are very lucky to have her as part of our team.
With over five years of clinical experience, Angeliki is a dedicated and fully qualified Veterinary Nurse. She holds a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, along with Certificates in Animal Studies. Known for her strong organisational skills and commitment to professional growth, she is passionate about contributing to the well-being of pets and smooth operation of the clinic.
In addition to her technical expertise, Angeliki excels in building meaningful relationships with clients through her excellent interpersonal and communication skills. She recognises the importance of not only providing top-tier medical care but also creating a compassionate and trusting environment where pet owners feel confident in making informed decisions about their pets’ health.
In her spare time, Angeliki likes to be in the kitchen, cooking and baking traditional Greek dishes. We are lucky enough to enjoy the left overs!
She also enjoys spending time with her family and going on adventures exploring Victoria with her boyfriend.
Greek dancing is another big passion of Angeliki’s. She also enjoys singing (behind closed doors)! Angeliki will also spend any extra free time with her pets, a 4 year old Guinea Pig – Achilles and a 1 year old bunny, Daphno!
We are very lucky to have her on board as part of our super nursing team!
We welcomed Brooke to the nursing team in a part-time role at the beginning of 2024. Brooke has been fortunate enough to be accepted into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Melbourne University, whilst gaining valuable clinic experience at our hospital.
She has been a wonderful addition to the team as she puts her heart & soul into everything she does.
Brooke has a huge passion for animals & volunteers as a hospital attendant at Healesville Sanctuary.
Outside of work, Brooke spends the majority of her time studying and playing with her adorable kitten, Indy, who she adopted after arriving as a stray at our hospital. Living close to the beach, she also enjoys going for a run on the sand.
We can’t wait to see Brooke thrive in her studies & become a Vet! We can already see has all the attributes to be a wonderful Veterinarian!
Meet Emily, our bubbly & energetic & very dedicated Veterinary Nurse. Emily has now finished her Certificate IV studies in Veterinary Nursing in July 2026.
Emily joined the team in January 2024 & has been a wonderful addition to the team.
She has a genuine love for animals, both big & small and is committed to providing a high level of care to your furry friends.
Emily is always willing to lend a helping hand to her fellow nurses. Her positive attitude & eagerness to learn make her a huge asset to our nursing team. Emily has found her niche as a veterinary nurse, it’s the perfect fit for her!
Outside of work, Emily enjoys going to the gym, spending time with her adorable Maltese X, Poppy & enjoying a good show tucked up in bed. Her current obsession is Game of Thrones!
We are thrilled to have Emily as part of our team & look forward to watching her grow and excel in her veterinary nursing adventure! We love you Em P!
Meet our newest bubbly & very dedicated Veterinary Nurse, Phaelin. She runs the reception like a boss and greets clients like their old friends and treats your pets like her own.
She is developing our Puppy school and cant wait to get stuck into helping you with your newest members.
Take a Virtual Tour of our Office!
Our highly regarded veterinary hospital has been established for 35 years and we pride ourselves on providing our clients and their pets with the very best veterinary experience to be found.
The Forest Hill Veterinary Clinic, as it was originally called, was founded in 1975 and operated for many years as a single vet practice. The clinic was purchased by Dr David Margary in 1995. In 2008 the small clinic underwent extensive modernisation and extension works to transform it into the state of the art veterinary hospital it is today. Our updated facility has enabled us to provide better services for our existing clients in a comfortable modern setting and to cater for the needs of our expanding practice well into the future.
We have a dedicated team of 4 veterinarians, 10 veterinary nurses and a groomer that are constantly striving to provide the best care for you and your best friend.
The veterinary practice follows a simple philosophy; that we will go that extra mile for our clients and their best friends. Our clients are our friends! Together we will work towards enabling your fur buddies to live long and healthy lives!
We are all animal lovers and understand the fantastic bond that develops between a pet and its owner. It is an absolute privilege to be a part of this relationship.
We are always happy to help solve your pet related problems. You can call and speak to our veterinarians and veterinary nurses at any time.
Come and give us a try. You won’t be disappointed!
