UniSQ Biomedical Sciences student awarded 2025 W. H. Groom Scholarship

Zachary Vellacott, a third year University of Southern Queensland Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Medicine Pathway) student, has been awarded the Toowoomba Region’s 2025 W. H. Groom Centenary of Toowoomba Scholarship.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald congratulated the former St Joseph’s College student on his academic and community service achievements. The prize was presented at today’s (January 26, 2025) Toowoomba City Australia Day award presentation ceremony at Picnic Point, (pictured below).

Mr Vellacott is entering the third and final year of his Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences degree at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) and will continue his studies for another four years to complete a Doctor of Medicine program at the University of Queensland.

Mr Vellacott has ambitions of becoming a paediatric cardiologist.

“(I’m) really drawn to the field of paediatric cardiology, which I think makes sense and really resonates with me, having been a patient in that sort of area when I was younger…,” Mr Vellacott said.

Mr Vellacott experienced serious health issues from the age of three until he was 16. Experiencing many hospital visits and exposure to different doctors, Mr Vellacott realised he wanted to help people by becoming a doctor who put patient care before anything else.

“I’ve lived through things, and I’ve seen things in the world that not everyone might see, and that brought me to this calling of, ‘okay, through my experience, what can I do to help someone else? How can I have that positive impact in someone else’s life?’,” he said.

He said he had been through similar experiences to many rural residents who faced difficulties accessing specialist health care, which was an issue he was determined to address when he gained his accreditation with the Australian medical boards.

“In the future, with infrastructure permitting, I’d love to be involved in more specialist rural care. Maybe that will involve me having to be multidisciplined in my speciality,” he added.

Mr Vellacott also aspires to work for Mercy Ships Australia, which deploys hospital ships and volunteers to developing nations.

He is the co-chair of UniSQ’s School of Health and Medical Sciences Student Society, gaining student feedback on important student matters and liaising with university staff to improve students’ experiences.

In this role he represents his School on the UniSQ Student Representative Committee (SRC). He was chosen by his peers to serve on the Student Senate.

Through his SRC role, Mr Vellacott was one of two students to be selected to represent UniSQ at the 12th University Scholars Leadership Symposium in Bangkok, Thailand, among 500 delegates from 47 countries.

He said a highlight was leading a kindness mission at a refugee camp near the Thailand-Myanmar border, which gave him a deep gratitude for his fortunate circumstances and a renewed commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.

Away from his studies, Mr Vellacott is a member of the South West Queensland Thunder Football Club, where he has played in the Under 23 team and the senior men’s First team squad since November 2022. After making his First team debut at 18, he has played more than 50 matches in the top flight side and is keen to represent the club in 2025.

In the past season he volunteered as the junior goalkeeper coach, working with players from Under eight to Under 12 each week.

Mayor McDonald said the scholarship highlighted the calibre of students studying at the University of Southern Queensland.

“Zachary is achieving top results in his university studies with a perfect GPA of 7, the highest academic grade you can achieve. But his achievements don’t stop there, as he is an active participant in other community activities,” Mayor McDonald said.

“Council is proud to award this scholarship to another worthy young recipient from the Toowoomba Region. Zachary has a very bright future, and I look forward to hearing about his ongoing achievements.”

Mr Vellacott receives $5000 in half-yearly payments that will aid his studies, which will take approximately 14 years, including specialist cardiology study.

“I’m extremely honoured and privileged to be awarded this scholarship. I take it not only as a recognition of the work I have done and where I am right now, but also as motivation to continue striving to both improve myself and driving improvement and growth in the communities I’m involved with,” Mr Vellacott said.

The scholarship was established in 2004 to mark the centenary of Toowoomba’s proclamation as a city and to honour the achievements of Toowoomba’s first mayor, William Henry Groom.

W. H. Groom served a total of seven terms as mayor from 1861 and was elected to represent the municipality in the Queensland Colonial Government.

He was elected to represent the Darling Downs in the first Commonwealth Parliament and was responsible for much of the town’s early development.

Caption: Toowoomba Region 2025 W. H. Groom Scholarship recipient, University of Southern Queensland Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Medicine Pathway) student, Zachary Vellacott.