Community & Business
19 August, 2025
Breakfast provides insight and opportunities for local businesses
The Pittsworth District Alliance hosted an inspiring business breakfast at the Pittsworth Hotel Motel on Tuesday with guest speakers from Moore Trailers and the Queensland Department of Trade, Employment and Training.
Rhonda Ashton, Chair of the Pittsworth District Alliance, welcomed the intimate crowd of local business owners, community members, and government leaders.
Once the hot breakfast was served, guest speaker Karen Moore provided insight into the family-run business Moore Trailers - a cornerstone of the transport manufacturing sector in Australia, right here on our doorstep.
The origins of Moore Trailers dates back to 1964, when Bill O’Phee gave 14-years-old Lionel Moore an opportunity to join the workforce at O’Phee Engineering.
This was the beginning of Lionel’s career in engineering that has since spanned six decades.
He started out an apprentice Boilermaker, before being promoted throughout the years to Leading Hand, Foreman, Production Manager and finally National Sales Manager.
In 1988 O’Phee Engineering was sold and Lionel saw an opportunity to begin Moore Trailers.
Karen said Lionel had a knack for seeing a gap in the market and filling it.
“In the late 1980s, farmers needed a tough, no-frills trailer that could haul grain in season and fertiliser in the off season,” she said.
“Everything on the market was about $50,000 so Lionel built it for $35,000, exactly what farmers wanted without the extras they didn’t need.”
In the early 2000s, Lionel moved into drop-deck trailers.
He approached mining companies to understand their safety rules, and subsequently became the first trailer builder to have mine site approved designs that competitors were not able to touch.
Lionel has since stepped back from the day-to-day operations, with his two sons and daughter continuing to drive the business forward.
Shayne is the Managing Director, Graham is the Operations Manager, and Karen is the Officer/Payroll Manager.
“When people ask Lionel the secret to running a successful business for more than 35 years, his answer is surprisingly simple: ‘listen to what the customer wants and build it’,” Karen said.
Moore Trailers operates on 27 hectares just outside of Pittsworth with a 13,000sqm production facility.
“In 2016, we invested $10 million to double our trailer building capacity, and there is another $10 million expansion in the works currently,” she said.
“Once complete, Moore Trailers will become the largest trailer production facility in Queensland with over 20,000sqm of factory floorspace.”
Karen spoke to the importance of embracing change, investing in up-skilling, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
“From three staff in 1988 to 127 today, we are building around 500 trailers a year, and aiming for 600 this year.”
Moore Trailers has long been a pillar in the Pittsworth community, engaging in apprenticeship programs, sponsoring local events and supporting charitable causes.
Karen summed up her father’s legacy as, “hard work, adaptability and above all listening to the customers.”
She said Lionel still drops by once or twice a week to make sure things are running right, and to have a tinker in the shed.
“...Great businesses aren’t built overnight, they grow from listening, learning and delivering exactly what people need,” Karen said.
The second speaker for the morning was Beverley Lister from the Queensland Department of Trade, Employment and Training.
Ms Lister highlighted the department’s ability to help companies access international markets to establish and grow their export business, deliver programs to get people back to work and support businesses to employ and assist jobseekers, and connect people to quality training and skills to prepare them for work now and in the future.
Many businesses struggle to find or retain employees, which has been a developing issue especially since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ms Lister said communication between employees and employers is a massive issue in the workforce.
She discussed the Out of Trade Register which is a tool that connects out-of-trade apprentices with employment.
There is a particular focus on connecting migrant workers such as the African and Yazidi communities to employment by teaching them English and providing trade skills, in the hope of linking them into employment in the Toowoomba Region.
Another program of the Department is Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW).
“It funds community organisations to deliver local training and employment projects over 12 months,” Ms Lister said.
“We’ve had over 300 projects since 2015.
“The great thing about Skilling Queenslanders for Work programs is that at the end of it, we get more than 67 per cent [of participants] who either get a job or go onto further training, so it changes people’s lives.”
“It’s [training] a very important investment by the Queensland Government in apprentices and trades people across our economy.”
After breakfast, Mrs Ashton presented the Pittsworth District Alliance platinum sponsors who were present including Moore Trailers, Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance, Annie’s House and Beauaraba Living with a gift of appreciation for their continued support.
Mrs Ashton said supporting one another and working together is what our community is all about.
Toowoomba Region Councillors Kerry Shine and Trevor Manteufel were in attendance.
