1 9 7 7 – 1 9 8 0 (Australia)
26 x 60 minute episodes
Tired of city life, young Australian veterinarian Peter Ramsay (John Hargreaves) moves from Sydney to the countryside, joins the veterinary practice of Jack Lambert (Vic Gordon) who is in semi-retirement due to declining health, and connects with the locals.
Jack’s daughter, Julie (Barbara Llewellyn) acted as receptionist and nurse for her father’s practice.
Hargreaves was ably supported by Serge Lazareff as wildlife officer and park ranger Ray Turner, with a voice like boiling treacle and a laugh like an injured mule.
At the end of the first series, Jack Lambert died after a bout of ill health, Cassie McCallum (Louise Howitt) replaced Julie Lambert as nurse/receptionist and Peter Ramsay found romance with a local widow for a while.
As the second series ended, both Peter and Ray asked for Cassie’s hand in marriage – with Cassie choosing to marry Peter.
Guest stars included Sam Neill, Sigrid Thornton, Briony Behets, Peter Sumner, Rod Mullinar, Graeme Blundell, Max Cullen, Diane Craig, Queenie Ashton, Ruth Cracknell, Julieanne Newbould, Syd Heylen, Bill Hunter, Colleen Hewett, Bettina Welch, David Gulpilil and Penne Hackforth-Jones.
The area in the series was called Jindarra though the series was actually filmed on the Mornington Peninsula, at Tooradin, and in the area around Healesville, Victoria.
The Channel 7 show aired in an early timeslot for the kiddies.
Peter Ramsay
John Hargreaves
Ray Turner
Serge Lazareff
Julie Lambert
Barbara Llewellyn
Cassie McCallum
Louise Howitt
Jack Lambert
Vic Gordon