From a young age, she participated in such sports as cross country, athletics, and surf lifesaving. In her early teens, Emma began successfully participating in triathlon. Each of her three siblings and parents also competed in triathlon, while her elder sister Nicole was a champion Ironwoman in surf lifesaving.
Before she went to the Australian Institute of Sport, she went to Woolgoolga High School. She is an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder. She has been named Triathlon Australia's athlete of the year twice, in 2007 and 2012.[4] In 2009, she was the Australian Institute of Sport's athlete of the year.[4]
Moffatt was selected by the Australian Olympic Committee to compete in the London 2012 Olympics. The event was held in and around Hyde Park, with the swim being held in the Serpentine. However, she did not finish the event after a heavy fall during the cycling stage.[5]