Pride of Australia: Aunty Kathy a beacon of light

IN Manoora’s darkest days, Kathy Lowah was a beacon who consoled, counselled and cared for a community wracked by grief over the deaths of eight children.

Police Liason Officer Kathy Lowah in front of a temporary memorial in Murray Street park for eight children who were stabbed to death in a nearby house. Picture: Brendan Radke.

IN Manoora’s darkest days, Kathy Lowah was a beacon who consoled, counselled and cared for a community wracked by grief over the deaths of eight children.

Even now, eight months after the tragedy, she remains a leading light in the Cairns suburb’s recovery.

‘Things take time and this is one of those things, but I think that we can work towards that,” Ms Lowah said.

‘It’s something that, with community involvement, we can continue to progress.”

“Aunty Kathy”, as the neighbourhood’s children call her, was a police liaison officer for the Cairns Safer Streets Task Force when the horrific events unfolded on December 19.

Within hours, Ms Lowah had helped open a disused community centre less than a block away from the crime scene to help grieving family and friends and shocked residents receive support.

She was appointed co-ordinator of the centre, where she has been almost every day — in either a professional or personal capacity — to help provide services and activities.

Ms Lowah has also been somewhat of a cultural conduit between police and the community.

Her boss, Det Sen-Sgt Brad Winks, has nominated Ms Lowah for a Pride of Australia Community Spirit Medal, sponsored by Nine Network Queensland.

“The compassion and enormous effort by Kathy in the immediate aftermath and her continuing friendly approach to a community she obviously loves has certainly helped the community and the results are most evident in the smiling faces of the children that call out to Aunty Kathy every day,” he said.