International Women’s Day 2025 – with Elizabeth van der Plaat, Co-Owner of High Country Truss & Frames

Written by FTMA’s Kat Welsh

On March 8th 2025, it was International Women’s Day, and to celebrate, for the month of March FTMA is publishing articles showcasing 4 incredible women in the Timber Industry.

Last week we highlighted Julia Hall, CEO of McCormacks Australia, her journey into leadership, and common challenges women face when climbing the career ladder. Click here to read the article.

This year, the United Nations’ theme this year is March Forward, or the IWD organisation’s theme is Accelerate Action. Both of which are about how women are working incredibly hard to get to where they are. Sometimes more so than male counterparts, to receive the same pay, recognition, or merits. While things may be progressing in Australia, there are many places in the world, where the road to equality barely exists. Girls aren’t allowed to go to school, have a job, or be seen as an equal. So while perhaps some things seem good in Australia, we cannot be complacent about the journey still ahead for many many women.

Culture can be slow to change when it comes to gender equality and equity. What is always important is to highlight the success of women, and media is wonderful for that – the more we see women in traditional male roles, the more it will encourage others to pursue opportunities.

Elizabeth van der Plaat, co-runs the successful family business, High Country Truss & Frames, alongside her brother David, and sister Jannene. The business is in Polo Flat, Cooma, a stones throw from Canberra, but with all the benefits of a country town. Elizabeth is also one FTMA’s newest board members.

Elizabeth’s family haven’t always been in the frame and truss sector. But they’ve come into it with hard working ethics, and have been succeeding well. “We actually had the transport business, and the hardware store forever. My father was involved with those, with his brothers. We’ve always had the family business, but not the truss plant. Our father passed away 23 years ago, and my mum and us as siblings ended up with the business. At some stage there was a small truss plant in Cooma that was looking at selling. David thought, if we buy the truss plant, it enables us to then offer frames and trusses to our customers as another add on,” Elizabeth said. “About 15 years ago we bought the truss business… we’ve got the 3 businesses, the truss plant, the hardware, and the transport.”

Elizabeth hadn’t originally planned on running the family business. In fact, when she left school, she moved to Canberra. “I studied childcare. Then I was in childcare for many years.”

When Elizabeth started having her own children, she decided that she didn’t want to be working in that area anymore. She did a bit of work for her husband for a while in Canberra, before deciding to make the commute part time to be in the family business. As her kids became older, Elizabeth has been increasing her hours and has been fulltime for a number of years. She travels to Cooma for the working week, and back to Canberra with her family at the weekends. “Mum’s turning 90 this year. So I stay with her when I’m here. To be able to spend all that time with Mum, to be there, and be able to help her… I’ve got that benefit.” 

When asked what she likes most about what she does, Elizabeth said, “The variety. And I really do like that I can work with my brother and sister everyday… to be able to spend all that time with mum and to be working with my brother and sister everyday, is really really good.”

The unique thing about the frame and truss side of the business, is that High Country has an ongoing arrangement in engaging day release prisoners as employees. Elizabeth generally coordinates the daily pick up and drop off of the prison employees.

“I do enjoy the relationship we have with the staff, particularly the prisoners, they get a lot out of working here. We’re their link to the real world, the relationship that we develop with them is really good… other than jail, we’re their world. We help them with whatever they’ve got to deal with at the time.” 

Being that connecting piece back to being a valued part of society is so important. Having people there, wanting them to be a part of the community, and to give them that chance and assist them is a unique opportunity. “We’ve been doing it for quite some time. At times we’ve struggled to get staff. Seriously, these guys do not have days off. They are here every single day. I had a guy who was released 6 months ago and he’s still working here now.” Elizabeth talked about the work ethic that they have found, employing men from the prison, before and after release, and that they continue to commit themselves to the business with great dedication and enthusiasm.

Elizabeth works hard within the business and the community, and feels that she had great role models growing up when it comes to strong females. “I’m part of the chamber of commerce here in Cooma, and I would say there’s a higher percentage of women involved in that, that have their own business… I always say to my daughter, we can do anything.” Elizabeth isn’t just encouraging her daughter to pursue whatever she wants to, she’s role modelling to her how to be successful in a business that is crucial to a community, and being an accomplished leader. “My mother has always been strong and fairly independent… mum’s got sisters and I’ve always seen them running farms… from my mother and her sisters I’ve had those strong role models… [Mum] 2 years ago, I think, she stopped chopping her own firewood. She’s always been strong and determined, she could do anything.”

The Timber Industry definitely has more men employed than women.

“Going along to the conferences, you meet other women, yes it’s probably a high percentage of men than women, but there are a lot of strong women in that field… a lot of fabulous role models in that industry.”

The benefit to networking is to support each other and be inspired through those connections as well.

Elizabeth came on with the FTMA board last year, and she has a lot of valuable insight into the frame and truss world to help guide FTMA. Responding to what she loved about FTMA, and now being on the board, “… you go along to the conferences, and they’re just such brilliant events, every time. Every time you go, you come away empowered. The women you’ve met, the different people you’ve met, I find absolutely fabulous. I think to know that now I’m part of the board, I will probably have a little more involvement in that is fabulous.”

Elizabeth is a passionate advocate about the environmental benefits of using sustainable timber, and her being on the board with that shared vision of the other members, and FTMA as an association, will help to educate and spread the benefits. “For me, my biggest thing is steel frames. I hate it, I’m becoming more vocal with people now.” Elizabeth talked about quoting recently for a job that wasn’t including the timber frames, and finding out the framing was due to be steel, and talking with the builder to convince the client to re-think their choices. We’ve got a fight on our hands, with the steel sector promoting use of steel, currently through mainstream tv adverts. But the more of us, like Elizabeth, that can confidently advocate for timber and all its benefits, the better. 

Elizabeth is a deeply caring and capable person, showing through leadership with the business, her values of ‘family’ and commitment. The supports she shows to their employees, particularly from the prison, is admirable, and life changing for those guys, as they come back out into a solid and reliable workplace as part of a regional community.

Knowing that Elizabeth’s also a strong promoter of the environmental benefits of timber, is a credit for the community, and having her as an FTMA board member.

Elizabeth, thank you for taking the time to chat about the business, your values, and what you do. It was lovely to hear about your journey and successes with your family, and the benefits of having you in the frame and truss sector.