Meet The Locals: Jade Trickey

Jade Trickey was always an animal lover and is now a vet nurse at Torquay Animal House, which provides a great service to the people and their pets in our local community.

Raised right here in Anglesea, Jade happens to be my cousin and is a local through and through. She recently shared her thoughts on life on the Surf Coast and the heartache and joy of working with animals.

Thanks so much for chatting today Jade, it’s always so lovely to catch up. Can you tell me what it was like growing up in Anglesea?

My mum’s family is from Anglesea and I was born and bred on the coast, where the bush literally meets the sea. As kids we used to play in the bush for hours and then in the afternoon we would go to the beach or go surfing with our friends so it was a win-win situation. Growing up in such a beautiful place was incredible and there was always such a strong sense of community.

Has Anglesea changed much since those carefree days as a kid playing on the beach?

Unlike Torquay which grew very quickly and is really busy now, Anglesea doesn’t have the land to develop, so it has stayed small and hasn’t changed that much at all. I’m based near Deans Marsh now, but I still visit a lot and always feel that sense of connection whenever I am there.

I love Deans Marsh, what’s it like to live there?

Deans Marsh is a historic farming village just a little bit inland from the coast in the Otway hinterland. We don’t have a big population, just a few hundred people and there isn’t much here apart from a corner shop and a pub that is closed now for renovation. It’s really peaceful and away from all the craziness, but only a 20-minute drive from everything. People are very friendly and there is a great community here.

Your husband also grew up on the Surf Coast?

Yes, he’s from Lorne and works in the family business: Trickey Brothers, a plumbing and excavation service, based in Lorne.

So, how did you come to be a vet nurse?

I have always loved animals and we had quite a few pets when I was a kid, there was the family dog who had 11 puppies, as well as guinea pigs and budgies, but I never really thought about becoming a vet nurse. Then, 17 years ago, Denis and Darina, the owners of Torquay Animal House, took me under their wings and gave me a job as a dog groomer. After a couple of years, they asked if I wanted to become a vet nurse, and offered to put me through the course. They are still my bosses today and they are just amazing. I love my job and the team I work with is great, everyone is so kind and supportive, we are like a massive family. We also have so many nice local clients who go above and beyond in every respect.

I love that Torquay Animal House do things a bit differently, with their state of the art facilities, alongside getting involved in wildlife rescue – and I heard they are the only vet practice this side of Melbourne that provides Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine! What do you love about working with animals?

Just helping! Animals don’t have a voice so we get to be there for them, if that makes sense. People often say it must be difficult when you have to put animals to sleep, but I always say we do it for the right reasons. It’s definitely the worst part of the job, but when an animal is struggling it’s the right thing to do. It can be a bit emotional at times, especially as I have been there for so long – when I see a puppy come in and then I am there putting them to sleep 15 years later it’s hard.

I can imagine that’s heartbreaking, but it must feel so good when you get to save sick animals. Final question – what makes the Surf Coast such a great place to live?

There’s always an adventure, whether a walk down to the beach to the rock pools, a bushwalk, driving to see the waterfalls or going out to a great restaurant.

Thanks so much, Jade and see you soon.