Brennan & Smith Inverell
Following on from our initial practice in Armidale, the opportunity arose to diversify and cater to a wider population in Inverell. The Sapphire City boasts scenic outlooks and a bustling CBD which complements our practice perfectly and the additional local staff and optometrists have allowed our expansion into a market with high demand.
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Brennan & Smith Optometrists
36 Otho Street,
Inverell, NSW. 2360
02 6722 1855
Our Inverell Team
Mark Smith
Optometrist
Mark graduated in 1982 with a bachelor of Optometry from UNSW. He worked in suburban Sydney before completing the requirements to gain registration in the UK. Working across various practices in England gave him 3 years of valuable and unique professional experience. When he returned to Australia, Mark was keen to establish his own practice and after some searching decided Armidale ticked all the boxes. He moved with his family in 1988 setting the practice up with his good friend whose name is still part of the now familiar Brennan & Smith. Mark continued with Brennan & Smith expanding the practice to Inverell, Tenterfield and Glen Innes in the following years.
Mark is a highly experienced professional who continues to be well respected in the field, and who is still passionate about his work. Recently he reduced his work hours to be able to pursue more of his outside interests which include cooking, nutrition, fitness and farming, and travelling to see his three children who are spread across the world.
Peter Sulman
Optometrist
Peter has been the resident Optometrist at Brennan & Smith in Inverell since 2004. He brings over 35 years of experience to the practice including 10 years spent working in the United Kingdom. His area of expertise relates to contact lens fitting, detection and diagnosis of eye disease and refractions for patients of all ages.
Away from work, Peter’s interests are golf, fitness and his beloved Sydney Roosters.
Peter looks forward to welcoming patients old and new to Brennan & Smith.
Kate Darley
Optometrist
Kate graduated from UNSW with honours in Optometry and Vision Science. Kate could not wait to move back ‘home’ to the country to start her career in private practice as an independent optometrist. Kate’s particular interests are in disease detection and management, as well as a holistic management when combating children’s vision. Kate’s therapeutic qualification allows her to prescribe and manage a plethora of eye conditions and particularly enjoys co-managing glaucoma, removing metallic foreign bodies as well as diagnosing and treating a host of sore eyes, such as uveitis. Kate has completed a post graduate certificate in Advanced Pediatrics which fully equips her with the most advanced techniques and knowledge for children’s vision. Kate travels between all 4 Brennan & Smith stores and enjoys the challenge and change of scenery each practice offers. Kate likes to offer “quality eye care, NOT cheap eye care” and has been able to offer this in private practice. Kate is also fully qualified to offer CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) Eye examination for pilot licenses.
Outside of work, Kate enjoys spending time with her husband Oscar and 3 kids, Eddie, Jack and Hughie on their family beef cattle farm at Yarrowyck. Kate and her family are active members in the community, supporting the Kingstown Pony Club and Torryburn Rural Fire service. Kate has a passion for education and has conducted education sessions on diabetic eye health for local professionals and hopes to see rural and regional health improve over years to come with better education and resources.
Trent Irwin
Optometrist
Trent joined our team at Brennan & Smith in 2012 after graduating from the University of New South Wales with First-Class Honours. Born and raised in Inverell, Trent was eager to return to his local community and provide comprehensive eye care to the New England area. He is therapeutically endorsed for scheduled medicines and has a keen interest in ocular disease, especially the retina and prides himself on thorough examinations to provide both the best refractive result for his patients as well as the early detection and treatment of all ocular conditions.
Trent is passionate about all things sport; particularly distance running, soccer and golf. He and his young family are firmly based in the New England region and envisage remaining here servicing the local community for years to come.
Laura Papas
Althea Lean: the Contact Lens Guru!
Althea LEan
Optometrist
Althea graduated from City University, London with Honours in 1994, and completed Post Graduate training to become a member of the British College of Optometrists in 1995. She then worked in London until the climate got the better of her and emigrated to the east coast of NZ. She moved to Australia in 2001 and has been in Armidale since 2005 working for OPSM until transferring to Brennan and Smith in 2022. Althea has worn glasses since a child but always hated them so was a keen contact lens wearer for many years and then finally had LASIK in 2002. Because of this background she is keen to help people out of spectacle wear and has her Post Graduate qualifications in Advanced Contact Lens Fitting with a keen interested in RGP ( hard) contact lens fitting and Keratoconus. If you want to get more information on contact lenses or surgery to remove the need for glasses then she can help you.
Outside of work Althea’s passion is horses and her and her partner have a professional equestrian training facility in Uralla. She has a particular interest in understanding behavioural problems in horses and competes in many different disciplines and is a regular at many events. She loves the adrenaline rush of the cross country phase in Eventing and can even rope cattle! Now considered a local she enjoys the camaraderie of the regional community and getting to know the people behind the glasses.
Laura PApas
Optometrist
Laura
Rochelle
Senior Qualified Optical Dispenser
Rochelle is a bright and familiar face with over 10 years of devoted service to our company. Her knowledge and experience of over 30 years remains unparalleled in the optics industry.
Rebecca
qualified optical dispenser
Rebecca is a qualified optical dispenser and has gained invaluable knowledge throughout her studies. Rebecca is warm and approachable, and always engaging and hard working. A real asset to our team!
Sophia
Trainee In Customer Service, retail and optics
Sophia is the newest member to join our team. Her bright and bubbly personality makes her a joy to be around. She is incredibly hard working and an asset to the team.
Marianne
HIghly qualified in customer service, retail and optics
Marianne has been delivering the Inverell district with her customer service and retail experience for years. Marianne is a familiar face to many of those living in the area and is always offering a helping hand with honest and professional advice.
isabella
Highly qualified in customer service, retail and optics
Isabella is a dynamic and approachable team member, whose vibrant energy and warn-hearted demeanor make her a reliable and supportive member of our team.
samantha
qualified optical dispenser
Samantha is a qualified optical dispenser and has gained invaluable knowledge throughout her studies. Samantha’s energy and enthusiasm is highly valued in the Brennan & Smith practice.
melissa
Highly qualified in customer service and retail, trainee Optical Dispenser
Melissa is a happy and highly passionate trainee dispenser who is currently undertaking studies to gain qualifications in dispensing. Her energetic and friendly nature makes her an asset to the Brennan & Smith practice.