A Family Affair

It was 2014 when Lachlan Shilton finally gave into the almost magnetic pull to become a Veterinarian.

“My old man is a vet in what was once a relatively small country town, so he was on call 24/7, 365 days a year. I spent a lot of my weekends “helping” with whatever animals came through the door and heading out on large animal calls,” said Lachlan who was deeply shaped by these formative years. “As I got older I learned how poor the working conditions are for most mixedpractice vets.” Challenges faced by vets were becoming more widely recognised and publicised which took the shine off this potential career.

–In Lachlan’s words, “I fought the urge to study veterinary science by initially enrolling into engineering before transferring into a science degree with a major in geology.” –

However, spending time in the mines in Western Australia only strengthened Lachlan’s resolve to follow in his father’s footprints so he enrolled in a degree at Charles Sturt University. “I wanted to be a classic mixed-practice vet in a small town such as where I grew up. Aquaculture was not on my radar until a 1-hour lecture focussed on food production in first year Uni, where a chart displayed projections of animal protein demand for a growing global population.” “The chart showed aquaculture leaving every other source of animal protein in the dust. From then on it was always in the back of my mind that a career in aquaculture would be a wise decision. I must have been genuinely interested as I was usually the only one still awake at the end of each fish lecture (which were very few and far between).” Lachlan first noticed Huon Aquaculture advertising for a vet when he had 18 months left on his degree, but he took a chance and made contact six months later which led to meeting Huon’s Fish Health Team and a subsequent job offer. “With no prior experience in aquaculture, I really didn’t have any idea what to expect, except that with any production animal system, preventative health would be key.” Lachlan moved to Tasmania with his partner and pets in 2020, at the height of COVID-19 lockdowns. “We initially moved into a Huon house at Lonnavale hatchery, and we’re very thankful for Huon Aquaculture for assisting with the relocation. It would’ve been a nightmare trying to find a pet-friendly rental, unable to physically travel to view/apply for properties due to border closures, in addition to studying for final exams.” –Lachlan Shilton –

–Lachlan and his partner Pip, who is also a vet, love the Tasmanian lifestyle and climate. They wasted no time in getting out and exploring their new backyard. –

“Lonnavale was also a great place to selfisolate! We could spend time at the river and go for long walks without leaving the property. Thanks to Jasmine and Nathan for the supply drops!”

–“There are so many outdoor activities on our doorstep, we are kept busy getting out and about on weekends and we still have so much to see. Hobart is a great capital city and anyone who complains of traffic has never lived on the mainland! Nothing beats a proper wood fire at home, so we don’t mind if we need it 300 days a year.” –

Lachlan’s enthusiasm for fish health has paid off and he has been keenly soaking up exposure to a diverse range of situations on the job. “After roughly 7 months with Huon, I’m continually being exposed to new and interesting aspects of the job, as my role and responsibilities within the fish health team expand.”

–Like many newcomers to Huon, Lachlan has been struck by the sheer scale of the business. –

“The thing that has struck me most is the sheer scale of the business, number of fish in the water, and the wide variety of infectious and non-infectious disease they face. The logistics of running a business such as this are mindboggling, and it’s taken some time to get my head around all the fish transfers both on land and at sea, vaccination, spawning, smolt assessments, vet chemical management, and everything behind the scenes in the veterinary world.” “There’s always so much to learn coming into an industry such as this which is good, and it keeps me on my toes,” said Lachlan. –Lachlan in the WA mines –

–Studying vet had a pull –