Coming from a family of truck drivers and mechanics, Gab Ayre, 32, said she always knew which career path she’d take. “I was either going to be a mechanic or a truck driver – and I’ve been both.
“My father, my grandfather and all my uncles are in the industry. It’s one of those things, when you’ve been brought up in it, that’s what you know.”
Pictured with her mum Jo and the family’s previous 1985 maroon coloured Louisville. Image: Gab AyreGab was just a toddler when her father Glen Ayre bought the 1985 Ford Louisville LTL9000 he still owns to this day – and growing up, she’d often be found under the truck, helping with greasing, servicing and maintenance every chance she had. “Dad had an old maroon Louisville first and then he bought this one in 1996 – 30 years on, it still looks the same as when he bought it. He’s still got the original brakes on his trailers,” said Gab.
“He used the Louisville for grain harvest. I’d go out with him every year, that was our thing. I was either with him on the planter or sitting beside him in the truck – sweating, with the windows down and a heap of flies, because he didn’t like air conditioning,” she laughed.
Gab told Big Rigs she grew up in a tiny “blink and you miss it” country town called Pallamallawa, about 30 kilometres east of Moree.
“Dad was the only truck driver in town. When I was at school, he’d often come and pick me up in the truck and I thought I was the coolest kid ever. I knew the sound of the Louisville and would hear him rattling the old girl down the street.”
Growing up, Gab was beside her father Glen in his 1985 Ford Louisville every chance she got. Image: Gab AyreAnd so it probably wasn’t all that surprising when Gab decided to undertake a trade while completing her schooling. She did a school-based light vehicle mechanic traineeship, and after finishing year 12, moved to Goondiwindi and found a role working as a second-year heavy diesel mechanic apprentice.
Things didn’t go as she hoped, but it still laid the foundations for her future career ambitions. “That was about 13 years ago and even though it wasn’t that long ago, there weren’t many females in that sort of role. I was the only woman in my TAFE classes, and I was treated horribly at my workplace. Lucky I was tough enough to still stick with it,” Gab recalled.
“Dad always told me to show them what I was capable of and to not let anyone get to me. But the place that took me on as an apprentice didn’t teach me a great deal, so it was really hard to find someone willing to take me on.”
At that point, Gab almost gave up on her dreams. She ended up spending two years working in a bakery and as luck would have it, that role opened up a new opportunity she didn’t see coming.
“While I was at the bakery, I had someone approach me and ask if I wanted to drive a wheelie bin recycling truck, so I went there and got my HR licence with them and stayed there for about two and a half years,” explained Gab.
Driving the concrete ago. Image: Gab Ayre“Then I got a job driving a concrete agitator and worked my way up to a brand new truck, a Kenworth T360. I also used to operate the loader, batch other trucks with concrete and when the boss was away, I was organising concreters, trucks, and raw materials.
“I was there for nearly five years and the hours were insane so eventually I decided to leave – that was last year. I was really burnt out.
“So I went back to the bakery from June to December, for a change of pace until I found something for the new year.”
In early 2025, Gab got a job as a gardener on a farm’s homestead. She thought it would be a little slower paced, but that didn’t last long. “I love gardening so went out and gave it a go. It turned out to be much more than pulling out weeds. I got my MC licence through that role, and then started running up to Dalby for them with a single float. While there, I would also bring water troughs to the farm, go out carting grain to the feedlots in Dalby and Millmerran, and cart B-doubles of cattle for them, which I particularly loved,” she said.
The farm role saw her driving three different trucks, carrying all manner of freight. Image: Gab Ayre“At the farm, I drove all three of their trucks – a 2012 Kenworth T909, the 2005 Western Star 4900 and the little Volvo which I even got to do a few runs in as a road train.”
Just recently, a new opportunity came along. Last month Gab began working at Narrabri based business WTC Group. “They are about 70km west of Goondiwindi. We do local work. I’m in a Western Star 4800 FX, pulling a single water cart, which can carry about 40,000 litres.
“WTC Group does mainly civil construction work. We’re working to repair about 80km of flood damaged roads at the moment. I put the water on after the grader, to settle the dust and add moisture to the ground. Then the roller can come along and compact all the dirt to make it nice and smooth.
Transporting cattle in the Western Star, while working at the farm. Image: Gab Ayre“I’m loving it here. The crew is great and the boss is fantastic. I’ll give anything a go and jump on any machine. If I don’t know how to drive it, I’ll jump on and figure it out.
“I’m just happy to take up any opportunity that comes my way. Doing this sort of work, you don’t know where it will lead. It’s about getting a foot in the door and meeting people, then taking new opportunities as they come.”
At WTC Group, she’s behind the wheel of a Western Star 4800 FX. Image: Gab AyreAsked what she liked most about being on the road, Gab replied, “Not being in the same place every day, driving around and meeting new people, and seeing places not everyone gets to see – the sunrises and sunsets are magnificent out in the country. I love being in and around trucks. I couldn’t think of doing anything else.”
For others considering getting into the industry, Gab’s advice is, “Just do it and don’t let anyone hold you back.
“Through my whole life, I’ve had people say you’ll never make it. But my friends and family know what I can do and what I’m capable of – and they’re proud of me for giving it a good go.”
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