Memorial bid for boys lost in river

THE family of the two brothers who drowned in the Ross River last month are hopeful of erecting a permanent memorial in their honour.

Family, friends and the community gathered in Cranbrook Park last week, just metres from where the tiny bodies of Jhulio Sariago, 3, and Barak Austral, 5, were found on February 26.

It was here two crosses were placed on the banks of the Ross River for both Jhulio and Barak, as well as a third cross for another indigenous boy who lost his life in the same spot about 30 years ago.

While the priority of the family is to now lay their boys to rest, the idea of a memorial at Cranbrook Park was sugges- ted at the traditional smoking ceremony last week.

“Because these precious little souls were taken, there’s been a request from the family (that) hopefully our local city council would allow us to have a permanent memorial, preferably not close to the edge because of the eroding sands,” indigenous elder Gracelyn Smallwood, who was MC of the ceremony, said.

“Hopefully under the already stabilised tree here, but that would be down the track.”

In a statement, Townsville City Council said it was “still exploring options with the family”.

Jhulio and Barak had been reported missing late Monday February 25, sparking a mammoth search from authorities and the community that lasted into the night. It was described as the most resource-intensive search operation in recent history. The boys were found the morning after between 4.40am and 6am within 2m of each other.

They were located submerged in a small cutaway on the Ross River that had become steeper, deeper and filled with vegetation since the floods.

The family is fundraising for the two boys to be flown back to Darwin where they will be buried.

More than $13,000 has been raised, surpassing their goal of $9000.

Details of the boys’ funeral are expected to be known this week.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner.