Ivan Milat's brother Bill is furious he has been unable to visit his dying brother in hospital this week despite hearing reports he is "taking his final breaths".
Bill Milat, who is Ivan's next of kin, and his wife Carol were up at 4am on Monday to drive the 100km from their Southern Highlands home for their scheduled visit at Long Bay Jail.
They insist the convicted serial killer, who is affectionately known to his family as "Mac", is innocent and have been visiting regularly since he was convicted of murdering seven backpackers back in 1996.
If he's taking his last breaths we want to be there, we want to say goodbye.
The couple, with Ivan's sister, arrived at Long Bay Jail, went through the first security check and then waited with other prison visitors.
"Eventually we were told that the visit wasn't going to happen at the jail because 'Mac' wasn't even there, he was in hospital," Carol told the Mercury. "They didn't even tell us he wasn't at the jail."
They waited another three hours in a suburb nearby for word on whether they would be able to visit Milat at Prince of Wales Hospital. They were promised a phone call, but eventually Carol called herself.
"We were told we couldn't see him, there were too many people in the hospital security section that day."
Milat's sister was told over the phone from authorities this week that Milat was "gravely ill and taking his last breaths".
"She rang us extremely upset," Carol said. "But we have no idea what's actually happening. We just have to wait and wait and wait - no one is telling us anything."
The Milat family is irritated that word on Ivan's conditions seems to be getting leaked to the media before the family is notified.
"We can't talk to the prison staff we can't talk to his doctors, we are not allowed to know anything and it's very upsetting," Bill said.
"If he's taking his last breaths we want to be there, we want to say goodbye," he said.
The couple have a scheduled visit on Friday.
"We just hope it goes ahead so we can see for ourselves how he really is, what's going on. That's the only way we will know."
Ivan's nephew Alistair Shipsey, who has devoted much of the last 20 years to proving his uncle's innocence, is also angry the family is being kept in the dark.
"It's just so wrong what they have done to this man."
Mr Shipsey believes his uncle should have been granted a retrial.
"They didn't give him the chance to prove his case," Mr Shipsey said.
"Even the judge said they had no proof Ivan murdered any of the victims, it was circumstantial. Just a lot of talking with no evidence to prove what they're saying."
