IN this digital age many people would have us believe unless the message is online, it’s not being heard.
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That’s wrong.
Word of mouth is still telling.
A man confronted me at the Katherine Hot Springs last week.
Confronted is maybe not the right word, he was angry, very angry, but it was not directed at me.
He’d just been robbed.
We had both been enjoying one of Katherine’s best known features.
There was perhaps 20 or so people there as the sun was setting.
Backpackers using a selfie stick and a GoPro to tell the folks back home how much fun they were having in the NT outback.
An older couple were there with their dog, just loving it.
Crystal clear water, slippery rocks with just enough man-made steps and stainless steel rails to make it safe and easy to enjoy.
The encrusted mud on the palms and snaking tree roots from the just finished wet season lent the springs an air of naturalness. I hope the multi-million dollar upgrade doesn’t spoil that.
It wasn’t the hot springs which ruined the visitor’s day, but theft.
Police reckon thefts down there are pretty rare but I wonder about that.
“Someone’s pinched my stuff,” the man said.
Without alerting would-be thieves to the pickings to be had, people, me included, wrapped their belongings up in their towel for security.
We place our bundles high on a concrete step hoping any crooks might hesitate taking stuff in plain view. Obviously not.
It’s hard not to want to bring your phone (camera) down, there’s great pix to be had.
Your wallet is best locked in your vehicle but the keys are another issue.
The council says it is going to increase lighting and install security cameras down there as part of the upgrade.
Perhaps Katherine residents have some ideas on what else could be done?
Our man left the springs with a bitter view of his experience in the town.
He will tell others, and they will tell others, perhaps his upset will find its way onto social media as well. We know word of mouth is a big influence on the grey nomads.
Katherine used to be the wild west before they put police in the bottle shops but now it had cleaned up its act, we have often heard.
If the public toilets are dirty or broken the word spreads fast.
Tourist-friendly Katherine relies heavily on their impressions and we all have a part to play as ambassadors for our town.