At just 32 years of age, Amanda Moohen is living her dream as the corporate manager of Wonga Plains feedlot near Bowenville.
All her life, Amanda has harboured a dream of enjoying a successful career working in the livestock industry.
She grew up on a small cattle property near Geham just outside Toowoomba, where she says she developed a love of agriculture.
“I then studied a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and set out to gain as much knowledge of the industry as I could,” she said.
“My degree was a four year course where I majored in animal production and feedlotting.”
“I started at Wonga Plains in early 2010 as an administration officer, and have worked my way up over the past seven years.”
Wonga Plains is a 10,000 scu registered feedlot, plus it also has a grain-assist 8000-head program.
“We are divided into three segments of business, with one-third of the business being Camm Agricultural Group cattle, the same amount in a custom-fed Wagyu program, and the balance is general custom feeding clients,” Amanda said.
“My day starts at 6am every morning and my main priority is to make sure the cattle arrival and departures are on track.
“It also includes the supervision of any drafting of cattle that need to be done, while at the same time looking after all the general custom feeding clients.
“I am all about customer care and satisfaction, and we keep our clients up-to-date on how their cattle are progressing and eating.
“I would have up to 20 clients to stay in touch with at any given time”.
Amanda said her role model is also her boss, Bryce Camm.
“Bryce is inspiring in the way he manages the whole of the Camm Agricultural Group, which includes feedlot, farming and other cattle properties that form the group”, she said.
Amanda credits Bryce for pushing her to apply for the MLA/ALFA scholarship and to join the Australian Rural Leadership Program.
“Bryce encouraged me to apply and I was selected”, she said.
“After completing the scholarship, it led to me being selected for the inaugural Graeme Acton Memorial Beef Connections Program”.
And while Amanda admits there can be some issues working in such a male dominated industry she sums it up this way:
“I just work harder at the job and prove them all wrong.”
Amanda is also the founder of the highly successful not-for-profit organisation, Women of Lotfeeding, (WOLF).
“It was while completing the Graeme Acton Beef Mentoring program that I had to work on a project initiative.” Amanda said.
“I selected it as a project as I knew no other ladies involved in the feedlot industry, and I believed this would create opportunities for socialising and networking.
“We have a small committee of five, and our mantra is create and maintain a network of passionate women in the lotfeeding industry. “At the same time we hope to provide inspiration, support and opportunity, paving the way for sustainable careers for women in our industry”.
With a membership of 150 women and men, our aim is to have one feature event a year along with one to two networking events as well.
Amanda’s mentor during the Graeme Acton program was Yeppoon based Kaye Wilson.
“I was not a confident person but with Kaye’s support, I developed a belief in myself both personally and within the industry, she said.
“Both Kaye and Graeme Acton program facilitator, Barb Bishop told me that the seed was in me, but we had to water it first.”