Upcoming Events
Why Choose Vets on Tour
• Top-Tier Speakers: Our events feature renowned veterinary experts who bring the latest insights, practical tips, and inspiration to help you elevate your practice.
• Small, Engaged Groups: We keep our conferences intentionally small to foster meaningful conversations, networking, and a supportive learning environment.
• Unforgettable Locations: From stunning mountain retreats to sun-soaked coastal escapes, our conference destinations are as inspiring as the content we deliver.
• Balanced Schedule: Mornings of learning are perfectly paired with afternoons of adventure or relaxation.
• Community: Our delegates aren’t just attendees—they’re part of the Vets On Tour family, returning year after year for the education, camaraderie, and, let’s face it, the epic social events.
Who We Are
Dr. Dave Collins
Dave started Vets in Tour in 2005, driven by his desire elevate the level of veterinary care though high quality education presented by world class teachers. Others might say he wanted a tax-deductible excuse to hang out with cool people in amazing places to indulge in his many hobbies. Why can’t both things be true?!
Dr Dave is a Specialist in Small Animal Medicine and an owner and director at The Pet Specialists Veterinary Referral Hospital, as well as Seaforth Veterinary Hospital. Dave has been an examiner for the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists on several occasions, and a speaker and convener of veterinary conferences in New Zealand, Japan and Italy for more than 10 years. Previous VOT attendees can also attest that he is also pretty nifty on a pair of skis, and he says that he can surf, but no witnesses can attest to this.
Dr. Hubert Hiemstra
Hubert is an emergency veterinarian and host of the Vet Vault and Vet Vault Clinical Podcasts. His veterinary career has spanned 2 decades and 3 continents, including starting and running his own emergency practice in Perth for the better part of a decade.
Vets on Tour is a natural fit for Hugh, who also loves a good ski run, surf break, hike, snorkel, and sharing it with likeminded people. He officially joined VOT in 2024 to bring The Vet Vault’s unique brand of engaging and curiosity-drive veterinary education to our events.
Dr. Matt Cox
Matt graduated from Uni Of Sydney in 1995 with Dr Dave and after returning from a 5 year tour of the UK (also with Dave) in 2004, became Senior Vet, Owner and Director at Great Western Animal Hospital in Sydney. As an attendee of Vets on Tour in 2005 (being one of the cool people, Dave wanted to hang out with) and attending almost every Wanaka Vets on Tour for the past 15 years, he joined the team in 2024. With a keen interest in travel and generally making the most of seeing the best of any location (and ensuring the studyness of tables ...) Matt brings an enthusiasm for facilitating the social / travel element of Vets On Tour.