Billy Moore showcases his passion for food in Julia Creek

Mr Moore was invited as the guest speaker of the event, to discuss his well known career in football but also his passion for the hospitality industry.

Originally from Wallangarra, the footy star played 17 games for Queensland from 1992-1997 and NRL for the North Sydney Bears, before retiring at 28 when the Bears club dissolved.

Mr Moore stumbled into the hospitality industry and built a restaurant in Mooloolaba and purchased a pub in Toowoomba.

“It took me seven years to figure out what I was doing,” he said.

“I then sold both entities and got into the corporate speaking industry. Five years ago I was offered a half share in another restaurant called Augello's in Mooloolaba.

“It had been going for 17 years, was a famous pizza restaurant and had won the World’s Best Pizza competition twice and three Australian titles.

“I originally turned it down to go and work as a waiter but after the first weekend I knew and I ended up buying half.”

Now a resturanteur at Augello's, Mr Moore plans to continue his role until he is 70.

“For starters I love food, especially pizza,” he said.

“I love meeting people and every day I have the chance to converse with people who have a story to tell from different walks of life.

“I love to work out what you know that I don’t, what you do, how you do it and why. So that is my secret in business is to learn from other’s experiences. What I can take from you, out in the Billy Moore filter and become bigger, faster and stronger – so I enjoy that pursuit.”

Travelling to Julia Creek for the first time, Mr Moore wanted to share his journey and meet locals.

“When I talk at places such as these, and tell my journey from the bottom, to the top and then back to normal life in Queensland.

“Along the way it wasn’t smooth sailing and I talk about the mistakes I made and how I learnt from them. Hopefully locals can take something from it and afterwards I can have a chat to them and learn about what they do.”

McKinlay Shire Council Mayor, Belinda Murphy, said it could not have been more fitting to have Billy Moore visit for Queensland Week Paddock to Plate event.

“The key aim as we have of our Paddock to Plate luncheon is to get an engaging speaker, that we wouldn’t usually get the opportunity to listen to out here. So we have Billy Moore and couldn’t be more appropriate,” Cr Murphy said.

“A lot of people know his rugby career but may not know of his success in hospitality and being a resturanteur on the Sunshine Coast. So I think a lot of locals found it interesting.”