Dr. Heidi Douglas

Heidi studied Veterinary Medicine at Murdoch University, Perth, graduating in 1998. Working in veterinary practice she felt having drugs and surgery as the primary tools were fairly limiting, and the ability to actually fix the cause of her patients' diseases was restricted.

She then studied animal chiropractic at RMIT, where she says a whole new world of treatment opened up. She subsequently studied veterinary acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, saddle fit and homotoxicology. Heidi combines all this experience and knowledge in her treatments to help her patients achieve good health, be pain free and reach their maximum potential.

Heidi operated her practice, Brigadoon Veterinary Chiropractic, in Victoria and southern NSW until the end of 2011. She then moved to Queensland and now practices in the central Queensland region, operating in Rockhampton and surrounds.

For several years she lectured and tutored part time for RMIT with the Post Graduate Animal Chiropractic Diploma. She has conducted many talks to various riding and pony clubs on veterinary chiropractic issues and the sport of horse packing. She has also given speeches at various functions including The Sydney Institute in May 2012.

Heidi was brought up on a sheep and cattle property in the Riverina, NSW, and has worked in agriculture in Qld, NSW, Vic and WA. She is also a commercial pilot and was a pilot in the RAAF before studying veterinary medicine.

Catch up with the Sun is the unusual account of a remarkable achievement as ex-RAAF pilot and veterinarian Heidi Douglas writes about her journey around Australia with horses and camels.

The journey (full of incidents and setbacks) is fascinating in itself, redefining what we think we know about our country – but the biggest surprise is that the animals steal the show! Who would have thought that a short fat horse named Gumby and two haughty camels could win over the hearts of readers – and convince us that this story is really all about them ... and Heidi just tagged along for the ride?!

Heidi meets a range of interesting characters along the way and gets herself in and out of some hairy situations. She has a wonderful dry, laconic sense of humour and displays a never give up attitude, balanced by moments of self-doubt and vulnerability.

This is the story of a woman’s solo achievement and, as such, will appeal to a broad readership, including animal lovers, armchair travellers and all those who wonder just what it would be like to travel through the Outback.

Of her book, Heidi says: "So, where to start? How does one explain to ‘the masses’, (or in this case the few polite people who read my ramblings so they don’t offend me) what the hell I did and why the hell I did it? I remember one day, when I was thirty-eight, doing a few maths calculations in my head (I love doing maths calculations in my head...very therapeutic). I realised I would turn forty in less than two years! That couldn’t be right. I haven’t completed the bucket list yet and I had that ‘back up’ bucket list to work on too!

"I had worked in agriculture on all sorts of properties, and I had lived and travelled all over Australia. I was a commercial pilot and a pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force. I was a veterinary surgeon, a veterinary chiropractic and acupuncture practitioner and I had ridden horses through the Victorian Alps. But there was one main thing on the primary list I hadn’t done and that was riding a horse around Australia. That shouldn’t take much to sort, surely!"

Review by Finch Publishing

You can buy your own copy of Catch up with the Sun at Rockhampton Hospital Post Office, near the corner of Canning St and North St, Rockhampton, or visit the website: www.finch.com.au/books/catch-sun

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