Remarkable Vets

Geoff Woodhouse has been a vet for fifteen years. He's just made the big move from the city to the country to set up New Zealand's newest veterinary clinic in Arrowtown, Central Otago. The backdrop for the practice is the Remarkables mountain range, so he's called it "Remarkable Vets".

This ten part family series tracks Geoff and his team as they face the challenge of building a brand new business from scratch.

Cats and dogs form a large part of any vet's client base, but this is a mixed practice - half domestic and half rural. The Wakatipu Basin is home to an amazing variety of animals including alpacas, bison, horses and goats. And a disproportionate number of border collies call the area home.

Along the way we meet dozens of interesting characters including little Achilles, a stray kitten who arrived at the clinic with some serious problems. And Diesel - the Clinic cat with a heart on his side, no tail and a tone of attitude.

The family show was produced almost entirely in Queenstown by Great Southern Television - makers of the Lion Main and Eating Media Lunch. Producer Alf West says it was a great project to work on. "From the beginning it became apparent that the clinic staff are genuinely nice people who share a passion for animals." Asked where that passion originated, Geoff Woodhouse credits James Herriot's "All Creatures Great and Small" books which he read as a child. "If this series inspires even one child to become a vet, I'll be delighted" he says.

Executive producer Phil Smith thinks the series is a winner. "It's the type of show most people will enjoy" he says, "showcasing the life of a likeable kiwi vet, against the background of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world".