As the first certified Veterinary Hospital in Brisbane, the very retro Mitchelton Veterinary Practice still retains its charm as a 70s-style concrete block vet facility. The practice was established by brothers Dion and Jim Danalis in 1971. Dion and Jim (who spent the late 60s working on a PhD with Professor Dowling at UQ) set up shop in Sizer Street in Everton Park at a time when there was no pra
ctice to the west of them (today there is one in every suburb). In 1972 they relocated to Blackwood St, and later moved across the road to our current hospital site in 1973. In the early days the Mitchelton vets might examine a calving cow, a pig with diarrhoea or a slow racehorse. From the beginning, specialists have practiced here (such as the late Dr Saul Goldfarb, the father of Australian Veterinary Ophthalmology). With a resident specialist on-staff, that trend continues to this day. Since then, there has been a substantial upgrade and renovation of the surgery suite, anaesthesia room, hospital areas, and veterinary equipment. The improvements for human comfort—the reception area, consulting rooms and building exterior—were completed in 2006
