KARLA McPhail was up at 4am yesterday, refreshing her screen to see if she had been out-bid for a pair of Oprah Winfrey's Louboutin shoes.

After bidding $16,601, she hoped it would be enough.

Seconds later the tension turned into euphoria with the auction win confirmed for the colourful Yeppoon businesswoman.

"I've been bidding on it for a week. I have been very quiet about it because I really, really wanted to win them," Karla said.

With all of the money going straight to Oprah's charity Do It In A Dress, the auction was a win-win for Karla.

"I really love the charity, so I'm just really excited about it. Actually, I'm thrilled," she said.

The Coal Train CEO jets off to Brisbane on Thursday to hear Oprah speak - and of Karla's 30 guests, 20 are staff and 10 are family and friends.

"I'm shouting them all down for the night, we have a whole-of-staff function for all of the admin girls I'm taking down as well," she said. "We've got support staff coming in to run the business so the girls in my office are beside themselves."

Despite "nearly being sick", Karla said she was really pleased with winning the auction - and the shoes.

"I'm hoping they are here before Thursday so I can wear them while I listen to her (Oprah)," she said.

"We have exactly the same shoe size - so I know they will fit me."

After their one outing Karla said the shoes would be safely popped into a glass box to join her "collection of memorabilia".

Do It In A Dress does work in Sierra Leone and Uganda. The aim of the charity is to get young girls in school and educated.

Karla said she was "beyond excited" to hear Oprah speak, and the auctioned shoes were the icing on the cake.