Charlotte Varcoe
A FRIENDLY face was recognised in a recent edition of The Border Watch with community icon Di Ind being named in an unidentified photo.
In 2022, The Border Watch teamed up with the Mount Gambier History Group and began publishing photos donated to the community group with no names.
Each week, The Border Watch publishes photos requesting assistance in identifying the people in the photos and the story behind it with a multitude of success.
The most recent success story included community leader Ms Ind who was not aware the photo was in the possession of the history group, let alone published in the newspaper.
“I was really pleasantly surprised because the photograph was of myself as a 13-year-old and my brother was eight at the time,” Ms Ind said.
“We were with our mother and all of us were dressed in our relevant guides or cubs uniforms.”
Ms Ind said her family had consistently been involved in scouting and Girls Guides within the region with her mother serving more than 40 years.
Her father, brother and his son have also been named as Queen Scouts while her grandfather was named a King Scout.
“It was pretty cool to see the photo as it was a long time ago,” she said.
“I was chosen as a representative for South Australia at a National Girls Guides leadership conference which was held in Ballarat.
“I went there as a 13-year-old to learn all about the importance of strong leadership skills and that gave me some fantastic foundational skills which I have continued to build on right up until today.”
Ms Ind said she had been involved in community organisations pretty much her whole life, but especially since relocating back to Mount Gambier/Berrin in 2003.
Since then, she has been heavily involved in the hockey association and a number of charities including the chair of Four Reasons Why and Spare Ya Change 4 Kids.
“I was very proud to serve a couple of years as a board member for Pangula Mannamurna Aboriginal Health Organisation and also did a two-year stint with the Stand Like Stone Foundation.”
More recently, Ms Ind had taken on the role of chair of the Mount Gambier and Districts Residents and Ratepayers Association.
“I have always had leadership in my sights and really enjoy it and teaching others to be great leaders as well because that is what makes our community stronger,” she said.
“Seeing the photo blew me away because the copy I have is a coloured copy and when I spoke with the history group I was advised the copy they had was black and white.”
She said it was “pretty exciting” to see the photo again, especially on such a widespread platform.
“I had to do a project as part of my application and that is what is on the dining room table there,” Ms Ind said.
“I had to present it as part of my selection process and it was really exciting, I met a lot of great friends.”
Ms Ind said she thoroughly recommended any young person being involved with Girls Guides or the Scouting Association with the two organisations teaching critical life skills.
“When I posted the photo to my social media, the amount of comments that people made about congratulating me for doing something at such a young age, comments about the cheeky smile and it really shows how important it is to remember our history,” she said.
“I think the ongoing project between The Border Watch and the Mount Gambier History Group is outstanding and I would encourage people if they see a photograph and recognise some people, to put names next to it so we can really consolidate the history of our community and the people who influence it.
“Preserving history is paramount and I would also like to thank The Border Watch and the Mount Gambier History Group for doing such a project, I think it is extremely proactive and helps us understand the journeys people have made as a part of growing up in this region.”
