Last week we hit a milestone that only happens once: 20 years of Animal Emergency Australia. To celebrate, we flew in 100+ peer-nominated superstars from every corner of our national hospital network. Kennel hands to CCRs, nurses to vets, hospital directors to board members, we all gathered for a full-tilt day at the Crowne Plaza, Surfers Paradise, followed by our Country-themed National Campfire Awards at Paradise Country. It was equal parts learning, laughter, leadership and larrikin energy…in other words: peak AEA.
Below is the highlight reel - share it with your teams, your pets, and anyone who wonders what makes this mob different.
Beginning on Country
We opened in the best possible way: a Welcome to Country from Luther of the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Luther shared local knowledge of his land, stories that grounded us, and then filled the room (and a few hearts) with the deep resonance of the didgeridoo. Starting our 20-year celebration in respect and connection, set the tone for the day. What a blessing.
Rollcall, Rod, and the Lolly Bag Throwdown
Our indefatigable MC Dr Rod Meehan took the reins and kicked off a full-volume national rollcall. Each hospital had one job: be louder than the last. Pet ICU roared its way to victory and claimed the highly coveted bag of lollies. (Bragging rights now formally enshrined in AEA lore.)
When Life Happens: A Note from Rob
Our Co-CEO Rob Webster was unexpectedly called home the night before after his wife required emergency surgery. True to form, Rob still showed up on screen - sending a video message urging us to look after ourselves, look after each other, and (with suspiciously specific timing) “leave no tequila for next week.” We missed you in the room, Rob, and we’re sending the whole Webster family our best.
Simon, Jodi & the Origin Story (Featuring Traffic Drama)
With Rob grounded, Founder Dr Simon Lemin and Co-CEO Jodi MacKinnon stepped in to officially open the day - though in classic AEA fashion, Simon almost didn’t make it. Stuck behind a traffic accident, he arrived at 9:07am, full send, while we filled the gap with a throwback video of Simon and Rob talking about how they met and why emergency & critical care stole their hearts.
Once on stage, Simon and Jodi took us through 20 years of building AEA - the wins, missteps, near-misses, lessons learned, and the stubborn belief that emergency medicine in Australia needed something better, kinder, and more available. Jodi anchored the room with calm clarity; Simon brought the stories (and the scars). Fifty minutes later, everyone understood: AEA wasn’t built by accident - it was built by people who refused to walk past a need.
Ask Us Anything (…and You Did)
We opened the floor to Q&A. The questions ranged from sharp to cheeky, including a gem from Dr Amelia Allen: “So... was the growth of AEA just a series of random decisions with a good dose of luck?” (Answer: depends who you ask; outcome speaks for itself.)
The AEA-mazing Race: Scavenge, Scrub, Solve
Then the energy blew off the charts. We split into 18 teams for the AEA-mazing Race, a sponsor-powered scavenger hunt that had people:
- Hunting “ticks”
- Scrubbing in (bonus infection control points for style)
- Solving riddles & clinical clues
- “Applying” for VetPay (some of you should not work in finance)
- Negotiating with MC Rod, who alternated between benevolent chaos agent and confusing game show host
Huge thanks to the sponsors who made the madness happen: Provet, Cenvet, Heidi.ai, Zoetis, Cyclo, Lincoln Institute, PetAngel, BOVA, VetPay, and VE&T. You added fuel to the fun.
Lunch (Briefly Civilised)
Sun, chats, reconnecting across hospitals. Bonds were made. Deals were probably done. Lollies were traded under the table.
Leadership in Times of Change - for Everyone
Post-refuel, Gary Turnbull (Lincoln Institute) delivered an energising session on showing up as leaders even when you don't have a leadership title. With the whole spectrum of AEA roles in the room - from support team and kennel hands to directors, exec and board - the message landed: leadership is behaviour, not job grade. We dug into active listening, supporting one another through pressure, and how culture is built 5 minutes at a time. Big uptake. Lots of note taking.
Designing the Emergency Hospital of the Future
As the afternoon rolled on, we shifted gears to “Hospitals of the Future at AEA.” Our architectural design partners gave us an exclusive sneak peek at our next greenfield development - complete with a 3D walkthrough of a purpose-built open hospital. Seeing our clinical philosophy translated into walls, light, flow, and client experience? Goosebumps. The room buzzed with questions and ideas from every discipline.
Suit Up, Saddle Up: National Campfire Awards Night
After a quick reset, it was boots-on for our Country-themed National Campfire Awards at Paradise Country. Cowboy hats everywhere. Someone smuggled in Dolly Parton energy. Zorro wandered by. Horses and whip displays greeted us on arrival - because subtlety is for other industries.
Two surprise MCs - Patrice and Tiffany, both AEA originals - stormed the stage and kept the laughs rolling as we moved through 10 peer-nominated national awards, each sponsored and vetted by an independent panel. Every recipient represented the best of clinical excellence, teamwork, leadership, environmental stewardship, and community care across our network.
Megan Lui from Zoetis and Philippa Williams at the inaugural Sustainability Awards
Richard Estrange and Megan Lui from Zoetis and Dr Carmel at the night event
Tim Carson from Cenvet
National Watch Parties: All hospitals hosted in-clinic gatherings so on-shift teams could celebrate with us in real time. Big shout-out to BOVA for sponsoring food & drinks across the network. And to the 800+ team members who tuned in from home - you were with us.The night ended with an unforgettable flash mob dance, organised by AES Underwood and Pet ICU. Cotton Eye Joe would have been proud.
After the Applause: Food Trucks, Billy Tea & Whip Cracks
Once the formalities wrapped, we rolled into a festival-style evening: Food trucks. Bars. Billy-tea bush theatre. Quad bike demo. Whip-cracking show.
Stories got taller. Dance moves got looser. The 20-year mark felt properly celebrated.
Gratitude
To everyone who travelled: Thank you for making the time.
To our hosts & Traditional Owners: Deep respect to Luther and the Jellurgal community for welcoming us.
To our sponsors: Your support helps us invest in people, not just programs.
To the AEA superstars who were nominated by their peers to attend: You represent what’s best about us - skill, heart, and the courage to show up when it matters most.
To the teams holding the fort in hospitals: We see you. This celebration belongs to you, too.
Twenty years in, and we’re still just getting started.
Emergency never sleeps. Good people don’t either - at least not until after the whip-cracking show.
Thanks for being part of the story. Let’s write the next chapter together.
