From condemning tours of the state forest where his victims were buried — not for their ghoulishness but rather because he thought they ripped off tourists — to using the ’60s sitcom The Brady Bunch to ­divulge his liberal attitudes to homosexuality, a series of letters he exchanged with a NSW woman have revealed intriguing insight into Australia’s worst serial killer.

Ruth Hodkinson first offered herself up as a penpal to the Backpacker Killer five years ago.

She has been corresponding with some of NSW’s most evil criminals for decades.

As Ms Hodkinson and Milat, now 72, exchanged dozens of letters — many signed by “Ivan Innocence from my sunless cement cave” — a mutual love of cats became a common thread.

He tells her he spent “$1100 plus” in one year on his cat Gizmo, that cats “love to communicate” and that “Gizmo and I had no problems in that regard”. “Some people may feel that cats are too self absorbed,” he writes, “too deeply immersed in their own hidden thoughts because those people have closed minds and rarely excite a spark of originality or a capacity for extended abstract cogitation.”

The man serving seven consecutive life sentences plus 18 years ­without parole for the murder of seven backpackers between 1989 and 1993 poured out his sympathies on separate ­occasions when two of Ms Hodkinson’s five cats died.

“Your grief cannot be dismissed at that unfortunate happening,” he writes, and “it is terribly sad to know that your loved feline friend Violet has passed on. I can understand your feelings over it, quite intense you had (sic).”

MORE: Burlesque dancer Ruth Hodkinson and her evil prison pen pals

Milat even used cats as a way to complain bitterly about his incarceration in Goulburn’s SuperMax prison, behind a “1000lb steel door”, writing: “My old cat I had would yowl all day and night in such a place, I certainly do.

“This place would send a cat screaming insane, it would shred its poor little claws to the bone in its madness. You ought to see what it does to me.”

On the proposed ghost tours of Belanglo State Forest, cancelled in July 2015 after a backlash they were in bad taste, Milat wrote a month later: “I am not sure what was wrong with this tour besides ripping off the tourists. It never upset me but it sure upset a lot of people”.

Milat was wont to use The Brady Bunch to help expand his thoughts on families and sexuality.

“The only family I have ever seen that were seemly (sic) perfect has been The Brady Bunch, no matter what occurs — in the end they are so sickenly (sic) perfect I am sure that Alice (the housekeeper) was feeding them drugs in their food.”

As he mused about relationships he wrote: “The Brady Bunch … husband was gay in real life and so was Alice the housekeeper. In those days alternative lifestyles (as opposed to what was regarded as normal then, marriage-man-woman etc) was not regarded as proper then but now it is not really given a second look, so many alternative lifestyles people around now, always has been, but it is ­mostly hidden very closely then. Each to their own is how I look at it.”

He writes that “happiness and bitterness are ever present” in people and the movie Gone With The Wind’s exploration of the human condition was still relevant today.

Milat also revealed himself to be a fan of alternative medicines, advising that headaches “cannot be ­ignored” and recommending Ms Hodkinson explore acupuncture.

Gardening became a small ­delight to Milat in Goulburn SuperMax, but he abandoned it in a strange, self-harming protest at his portrayal in a TV documentary.

“… management got me to grow flowers/plants in my courtyard, gave me these trays … all types of seeds … had a watering can, quite amazing how quick they emerged.

“A few months later they make a documentary about this place, I watched it, and here is Woodham, prison commissioner, the compere of the program, he spent the whole hour going on about me — most dangerous violent killer, Im (sic) the only person that he named.

“So that was it, I immediately stopped doing the flowers, left them there. So since then no flowers ever again in our courtyard.”

Throughout his musings, Milat consistently claims to have been framed by the courts and police.

MILAT’S INTRIGUING ADMISSIONS

These are excerpts from Ivan Milat’s letters that he has written to Ms Hodkinson.

On comparing his life to a trapped cat:

“No pets in HMRC, its not a place for them, no natural air, no openings, cement floor walls to ceiling plus a 1000lb steel door.

“My old cat I had would yowl all day and nightin such a place, I certainly do. This placewould send a cat screaming insane, it would shred its poor little claws to the bone in its madness. You ought to see what it does to me. I wouldn’t put a blind gold fish in here it would be too cruel.”

And another:

“Hello it was wonderful to hear from you again though it is terribly sad to know that your loved feline friend Violet has passed on. I can understand your feelings over it, quite intense you had (sic) and the irony is she probably relied on you just as intense. At such times the right words just won’t come to my mind. You have good memories left hopefully they will inspire you and lessen the hurt.”

And another:

“Some people may feel that cats are too self absorbed, too deeply immersed in their own hidden thoughts because those people have closed minds and rarely excite a spark of originality or a capacity for extended abstract cogitation. I know as you also know Ruthie that cats love to communicate. Gizmo (Milat’s cat) and I had no problems in that regard.”

Talks about his cat Gizmo and how in one year alone he spent “$1100 plus” in pet fees for it.

And another:

“It is with much sadness that I read of the loss of your (½ kangaroo ½ bird) favourite cat, your grief cannot be dismissed at that unfortunate happening, the passing of a family pet is the same sad feeling as if it was one of the family.”

On his cat Gizmo:

“My Gizmo often did that. I used to get comfortable, lay on the lounge, paper out on the floor, I read it and bang Gizmo comes and just sitsdown-lay down, they quite extraordinary, in what they do, love to explore, check things out, even can climb ladders, in reality the perfect friends. I was happy with one…”

On US TV sitcom The Brady Bunch and families:

“Families, oh goodness, (the only family I have ever seen that were seemly perfect has been the Brady Bunch, no matter what occurs – in the end they are so sickenly perfect I am sure that Alice (the housekeeper) was feeding them drugs in their food). Families, members of it do tend to get carried away for more than necessary and harsh words are spoken and often it is hearsay or from some self-perceived knowledge, the problem Ruth it involves an idea that is central to some people that their own life will be much easier if they can identify the problems of others, hence the unkind comments, innuendo and dangerous reasonings.”

Again on Brady Bunch:

“The Brady Bunch (I never thot (sic) about them) the husband was gay in real life and so was Alice the housekeeper, in that show on occasion she (Alice) used to go out with the butcher, obviously she did have her mind on her future, ask for a large fee in those days alternative life styles (as opposed to what was regarded as normal then, marriage-man-woman etc) was not regarded as proper then but now it is not really given a second look, so many alternative lifestyles people around now, always has been, but it is mostly hidden very closely then. Each to their own is how I look at it.”

On families:

“Of course it is a fact that many difficulties do arise in ones home life growing up, some one makes it unbearable, some type of abuse, I read of many forms of abuse of people as they are growing up, parents (or the father) do this or that or some relative or family member thinks that it is their right to impose their will on some one.”

On movies:

“Gone With The Wind a good old classic movie and its values are still seen today in life, nothing really changes in people, happiness and bitterness are ever present, it had it all, of course, the loss of a loved one is very difficult to get over.”

On love and loss:

“Gone with the Wind a good old classic movie and its values are still seen today in life, nothing really change in people, happiness and bitterness are ever-present, it had it all, of course, the loss of a loved one is so very difficult to get over.”

On medicines:

“Headaches cannot be ignored, at times medication or treatement can assist but be prepared to consider all possibilities, acupuncture is a positive alternative and others I have read of (people – herbalist types read-look at ones eyes – can tell what ails one, quite amazing really – I only know of this mainly because my cousin – his wife specialised in this eye reading( there is a special name for it but I cannot recall it now) it is not witchdoctor medicine and can be worth a look, doubt if its covered by medi-card benefits!)”

On gardening:

Flower/plants in our courtyard it would certainly brighten it up. This place opened up on 14 October 2001, I was in the first half dozen then. The management got me to grow flowers/plants in my courtyard, gave me these trays, so odd little compartments per tray, gave me this growing potting mix, all types of seeds, even a pair of tweezers to pick up the smaller seeds, put two in each compartment, had a watering can, quite amazing how quick they emerged, about two weeks I had 5-6 trays in the back, when they got big enough the gardener would take them – transplant them around the prison I suppose. I enjoyed doing this, paid job, but then a few months later they make a documentary about this place, I watched it, and here is Woodham, prison commissioner, the compere of the program, he spent the whole hour going on about me – most dangerous violent killer, Im the only person that he named (said it about a dozen times) went on about that Im the worst of the worst. No mention of the flowers but. So that was it, I immediately stopped doing the flowers, left them there, after a few weeks management realised that I was not interested in it anymore, so since then no flowers ever again in our courtyard.”

On Fitness:

“Not sure about benefits of a personal trainer, yes their knowledge is invaluable but you would have your own ideas what is ok to train-exercise with a companion is the best way, each assist one another. Gymnasium people are profit motivated, need clients to keep their business going, yes they do the job ok but you can do it on your own, it does take self-discipline.”

On depression:

“I wish I could give you some good advice about depression Ruthi, at times (mostly) I’m up-down in how I feel, I realize that circumstances lead to it, it’s not necessarily the fact that I’m in prison. Lots of things contribute to poor feelings, though the ultimate culprit will be a person/ persons, their attitude to you/me can be so unreasonable.”

On climate change:

“I read of your power bill, cheaper now since you stopped the $50 a week deduction … it seems a bit suspicious Ruthi, I notice that the power bills are not so much a political issue now. At one stage a few months ago it was always in the news.”

On the carbon tax:

“I see Abbott says he will abolish the carbon tax, and power costs will be cheaper. “Yeah” as if that will happen. It does appear to be a lot of rain about. I see it on the news reports, things are getting a bit cooler now, I suppose one can put it down to that carbon tax I hear of, it supposed to cool the planet down, though I see the news it certainly causes some folks tempers to rise up a bit.”

On politics:

“I see on the news that the government is trying to change some things in the health system, mainly to get the people to pay extra for visit, and also to cut back on some of the more expensive tests. Hopefully you won’t be affected by any such steps Ruthie.

“The budget, politics, I tend to follow it a bit but really it’s a bit of a merry go thing. I think that they simply walk over the ordinary people, use a lot of lies on them whilst giving big business – certain ones, ones that always make a profit, the opportunity to increase their profits.”