Family reunites in Katherine following 12-month leukaemia battle
As the Territory battles against an uptick in crime, a town south of the capital is relishing a welcome visitor boost - and giving one family a chance for lasting memories.
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Katherine has become a hub of activity over the long weekend, with one family hoping to make the most of their time together before bidding farewell to a loved one.
Sarah Parsons’ youngest son, Darius is battling leukaemia.
She said she took her family to Katherine to visit her uncle who is also sick.
Ms Parsons’ family is one of several who have converged in Katherine, creating a boom of tourism over the Easter weekend despite what some local leaders have described as waves of crime.
As Alice Springs and Darwin become hotspots of antisocial activity, it seems crime is far from the minds of visitors to Katherine as they unwind and reconnect over the long weekend.
The Gladstone mother said her little boy had spent 12 months in hospital.
“He’s just going through treatment,” Ms Parsons said.
She said it made the four-day roadtrip to Katherine that much more meaningful.
Ms Parsons said she and her family were waiting for the rest of the group to drive into town.
“We’ll keep catching up with family when they get here,” she said.
The family was keen to swim in the clear waters of Katherine Hot Springs, and had brought three puppies – Bingo, Archie, and a third, unnamed puppy – along for the trip.
Several more families were enjoying Katherine’s sunny weather and warm waterholes on Good Friday, with visitors from Darwin, Alice Springs, Townsville, Cairns, and Ipswitch.
A “dads and lads” group was passing through the town on the way to a canoe safari.
Nominated team leader Hugh Wallace-Smith said the crew left from Darwin on Friday morning and were on their way to Lake Argyle, where they would canoe for three days down to Kununurra.
The trip was an opportunity for the families to reunite and reconnect after the group spread across Australia.
“Our boys used to go to school together,” Mr Wallace-Smith said.
“It’s nice to come back – we’ve all had different jobs and roles, but it’s nice to reconnect.”
Jayce, 5, and Madysn, 2, were particularly excited for a second dip in the clear water.
Madysn lives with her mother in Katherine, though the pair originally hail from Alice Springs.
Jayce, who is visiting the Katherine duo from Darwin, is excited to visit family in Alice Springs over the long weekend.
Where the long weekend poses a chance to regroup with loved ones, others are taking the opportunity to go boating, fishing, and camping.
The Black Russian barista Tess Gaskell said the caravan cafe – open from 6.30am-2pm on Good Friday – had been busy all morning as fishos and adventurers fuelled up for their weekend away.
Ms Gaskell said the town was a bit of a hotspot, with people from “all over the world” stopping by.
“There’s a lot of people passing through,” she said.
“A lot of people like to stay one or two nights because everyone’s going fishing.”
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Originally published as Family reunites in Katherine following 12-month leukaemia battle
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