When entering the workforce, Prue Clarke never envisioned she would end up in the transport industry.
Coming from a cattle farming background, Clarke had seen plenty of trucks in her time, but it was only when her husband Alister started his own business back in 2018 that her interest in transport was piqued.
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“When Alister started Gracemere Livestock Transport, I put my hand up straight away to help him out,” Clarke says.
“I knew I would be capable of handling the administration side.”
Earlier this year, Clarke was awarded the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland (LRTAQ) Young Person in Transport Award.
The award recognises young people (aged 35 and under) in livestock and rural transport who have contributed to the sustainability of their industry, and who display pride and professionalism in their careers.
Out of five finalists, Clarke was the only woman nominated, coming away with the Cummins-Meritor sponsored prize along with a tour of the PACCAR manufacturing facility in Bayswater.
Prue, 31, says this achievement gave her the encouragement she needed to keep going and get more involved with LRTAQ.
“It was just receiving a lot of recognition for the hard work that I’ve put in over the years,” she says.
“We went from nothing, to setting up a business, and I had no idea how to handle everything, even the records side of things.”
While Clarke never set out to pick up awards, once she was nominated for the LRTAQ gong, she was determined to win.
Transport doesn’t have to be a stereotypical man’s job, and Clarke’s advice to other women is to get involved as there’s more to it than meets the eye.
“It’s not all about driving trucks – there’s a lot to do on the admin side of it and with compliance as well,” she says.
Working in transport for the past six years, Clarke now has a good idea of what to expect as part of her day-to-day job.
She describes working in transport as “ever-changing” and must constantly make an effort to keep on top of everything.
“There’s a lot to keep up with, with roadworks and accidents on the road and the job changing,” she says.
So, what’s next for Prue Clarke?
She says Gracemere Livestock Transport is trying to build itself into a very employee-friendly environment with more facilities for their drivers.
As a mother of two young children, turning two and four this year, Clarke says it’s hard to travel or do pretty much anything with two little ones keeping her hands full.
In the near future, she hopes to put together a younger group of people in the livestock.
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