ONE of The Border Watch Newsgroup’s newest faces, Laticia Vaughan recently moved back to the Limestone Coast after spending the majority of her life living in Australia’s “Top End”.
Laticia was born in Mount Gambier but her family relocated when she was a small child to follow her father’s career.
Although she lived in the Northern Territory, Laticia always called the Blue Lake city home and would spend her school holidays visiting friends and family in the region.
In 2015, Laticia gave birth to her son Oliver, and after her parents returned to Mount Gambier in 2017, she decided she wanted to raise him closer to home.
It was late last year that Laticia made the move home with her mother noticing an advertisement in The Border Watch for a finance and payroll officer which seemed like “the perfect fit for Teesh”.
“My mum told me about the job at The Border Watch and said it would suit me perfectly,” Laticia said.
“Although I have quite a bit of experience in bookkeeping and administration, I wasn’t confident I’d secure the position.
“I remember jumping up and down when I got the call that I’d won the position.
“Moving back to Mount Gambier was a hard transition to make with my son, but to be able to land an amazing job was just the icing on the cake and assured me I made the best decision to move home.”
As the finance and payroll officer in the office, Laticia works alongside administration manager Sonia Galwey to process everything behind the scenes.
Laticia holds a certificate in business administration and is currently working towards completing her bachelor of commerce.
“I had to take time off from study when I had my son,” Laticia said.
“But I am hoping to get back to my study this year.
“It’s really important to me to continue learning as much about my career as I can.”
Seeing The Border Watch as a “Mount Gambier icon”, Laticia said she was proud to be part of the team.
“The work done here is so special,” she said.
“The Border Watch is an icon of Mount Gambier, and to be a part of the team is such a rewarding experience.”
In her time spent out of the office, Laticia enjoys catching up with her friends and family.
“There’s nothing better than a Sunday spent exploring the beach or a bush track,” she said.
“I love spending time with my mum and dad, Debbie and Shane, my sisters, Sara and Eliza, and my best friend Kelly.
“There’s never a dull moment with everyone around.”
Laticia said she hopes to teach Oliver everything she can about her hometown.
“The history of our region is so fascinating,” she said.
“I love exploring the area with Oliver – especially going fishing or camping.
“Plus we’re so central to Adelaide and Melbourne so whenever we want to do something in the city it’s not too far away.”
