In 1963 Kathy moved to the Northern Territory and worked at the Alice Springs Hospital. She then accepted a transfer to Darwin where she worked in the 'European Maternity' ward five. In 1964 she became sister-in-charge of ward eight the 'Aboriginal Female Ward'. After travelling overseas, Kathy returned to Darwin to become the sister-in-charge of the casualty and outpatients department. This was the unit where Kathy would work for the next eighteen years. She was instrumental in introducing the quality assurance program for nursing staff at Casuarina in the 1980s and played a leading role in opening the new Gove Hospital at Nhulunbuy in 1972.,