At The Gateway Hotel in Mildura, three dynamic women have carved out impressive careers in hospitality, each with their own unique journey into the industry. Natarsha Burgess, the Restaurant and Events Manager, has spent eight years at the venue and was drawn to hospitality by the opportunity to connect with people. “The people, customers, staff—that’s my job, interacting and connecting with people, which I absolutely love,” she said. Natarsha takes particular pride in mentoring new staff and watching them develop their skills. “It’s really exciting to meet people for whom this is their first hospitality job… it’s nice to see them grow,” she added. Her own path to The Gateway was simple—she lived just down the road—but the impact she has made within the business is anything but ordinary.
Lorianne Lowerson, known as ‘Laws,’ started in hospitality at 19, not thinking it would become a career. “It was just a job,” she admitted. With experience working in a nightclub and knowing how to make drinks, she decided to take up a job in the bistro and bar at The Gateway. Over time, she progressed through the ranks from waitstaff to supervisor, junior manager, and eventually to beverage manager and bottle shop manager. “It probably wasn’t until the last year and a half when I got my position in the bottle shop that I realised you can really make a career out of hospitality. It’s not just a stepping stone—there are so many different pathways and opportunities.”
Lisa Jackson, the hotel’s Human Resources Manager, had been part of the team for nine years, having transitioned from the retail sector. When her previous company was sold, she sought a role that matched her skills, and hospitality became the perfect fit. “I love human resources—it’s got a lot of challenges. Hospitality brings its own challenges, especially with recruitment, but it also has really great rewards,” she explained. Like Natarsha, she found deep satisfaction in watching employees develop and grow within the business.
Each of them had a defining moment in their careers that reinforced their commitment to the industry. For Lorianne, it was when a 50-year-old business owner called her for advice on beverages. “I’m a 28-year-old female beverage manager, and that was the reassurance I needed,” she said. Lorianne said that being underestimated as a woman in the industry is not uncommon, but she had learned to stand her ground. “That was a moment where I thought, ‘Yeah, everything I’m doing is right.’”
On the other hand, Natarsha finds joy in the small wins that helps her team grow at The Gateway. She recalled the moment a young staff member, after mastering the skill of carrying three plates in one go, beamed with pride. “He looked at me, grin on his face, and said ‘Tarsh!’ I laughed so loud I thought he was going to drop them,” she said. Moments like that, where she can see her leadership making a difference even in small ways, reinforces why she loves what she does.
It’s clear that The Gateway fosters a culture of inclusivity, not only by hiring based on merit but also by ensuring a safe and supportive environment for staff. Lisa emphasised that hiring decisions were based on suitability rather than gender. “We don’t look at whether they’re male or female. We just look at who is the best applicant,” she said. Lorianne added that inclusivity at The Gateway extended beyond hiring practices. “We stamp out any form of negativity,” she said. “Hospitality can sometimes invite a negative customer, but we have a zero-tolerance policy.” She sometimes has to work shifts as late as 3 AM but has always felt safe. “There’s always some form of help or protection there for you.”
Despite the inclusive culture, their career journey hasn’t been shy of its challenges. For Natarsha, balancing work and family life have been one of the biggest. “When I’m at home, I try to make that my priority,” she said, adding that it had taken years for her family to fully understand the demands of her job, given that she would sometimes have to do night shifts as late as 3:00am.
Lorianne has also faced challenges in the bottle shop, where clients often underestimated her. “At first, some people try to see if they can walk over me because I’m a female,” she said. But over the years, she has learned to stand her ground, knowing she has a supportive team behind her. “You just have to show them that they will not run the transaction the way they want to, that’s not going to happen.”
Lisa acknowledged that while instances of inappropriate behaviour from customers had been rare, they had always been dealt with swiftly. “Our CEO Gordon has encouraged to follow safety protocol and implement our zero-tolerance policy where required. If something happens, staff know they need to communicate it quickly,” she said. The venue uses earpieces for communication, security on-site every night, and a strong team that looks out for each other. “We make sure everyone feels safe.”
The conversation naturally turned to the evolving role of women in hospitality. Lisa was adamant that women like Natarsha and Lorianne were “unstoppable.” She highlighted the investment The Gateway actively makes in their staff’s career development, including courses with industry leaders like Jess Weiss, who have also collaborated with AHA (Vic) for leadership workshops in the past. “Jess was amazing, we sat together and customised the course which covered five or five different subjects that we chose, and that enabled all of our managers to attend once a week for about eight weeks,” said Lisa.
Recently, the three colleagues had also attended our Women in Hotels Brunch, featuring Victoria Racing Club CEO Kylie Rogers as the special guest. They spoke about the significance of seeing women in high-level roles and how it boosted their confidence being in the presence of other female pub and hotel employees at such an event. “It makes it more realistic for women to be in those positions,” they said. “Thirty years ago, it was rare. Now, the more women who pave the way, the more realistic it becomes for others to follow. What we loved was the fact that she worked in two fairly male dominated areas, and she succeeded in both. That shows tenacity and not giving-up attitude, no matter what people think about me,” they said.
The Gateway itself reflects ambition and growth. Natarsha had seen the venue evolve significantly over her time there. “When I first started, they were planning a beautiful outdoor restaurant—it’s there now. But it didn’t stop there,” she said. Plans for expanding indoor dining and event spaces are already in motion, driven by growing demand. “We run probably the biggest restaurants in Mildura, but sometimes I don’t have tables for people, and that’s a good problem which needs to be addressed for our locals,” she said.
In the bottle shop, Lorianne has faced the challenges of keeping up with stock demands. “Every single big holiday period, we’ve smashed our past goals,” she said. But she thrives on the momentum. “You set goals for the week, hit them, and then say, ‘What’s next?’”
The journeys of these three women prove that hospitality is full of opportunities, unexpected career turns, and plenty of laughs along the way. From mentoring new staff to handling late-night shifts and smashing sales goals, these women have tackled it all. Sure, there are challenges, but with a strong team and a support from their CEO, they’ve carved out careers they love. And as Lisa put it, these women aren’t slowing down anytime soon!