The mum-of-three is thankful her son Vincent is home for Christmas, she is thankful for the generosity of the community in helping them through one of her family's darkest times, and thankful for the bushwalkers who went above and beyond when her son suffered a tragic accident.

Ms Bate, her children, and one of her elder son's friends were enjoying a walk through Macquarie Pass National Park on a Sunday afternoon in October.

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They knew other walking trails in the area but decided to try the Jump Rock bush track for the first time, heading up the creek bed then along the winding path on return.

"They were having the best day," Ms Bate told the Mercury.

"Vincent was climbing on the rocks and his brother was helping him and they were getting along really well and were having so much fun.

"It was just the best day ... until everything turned within seconds."

What happened next the mother didn't see as her seven-year-old joyfully "scooted ahead around a bend", but she heard the screams.

She said Vincent lost his footing on a narrow and steep stretch of the walking track, falling about 20 metres and landing at the bottom of a cliff.

Ms Bate "froze" with shock as she saw her son lying there bleeding, having suffered multiple spinal fractures, two broken bones in his arm and a severe head injury.

A family out bushwalking were ahead and saw the tragedy unfold, the father Wazza rushing down to Vincent while his partner stayed with a "terrified" Ms Bate and the other children.

Minutes later a group from Southern Highlands Bushwalkers came by - some administering first aid to Vincent, others helping his mother and siblings remain calm.

"It was kind of miraculous and amazing, the timing of these people being right there and then, and how brave Wazza was," Ms Bate said.

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At the time, NSW Ambulance Inspector Terry Morrow said it was a difficult operation to get the boy to safety because of the jagged rocks and surrounding bushland possibly compromising the child's life.

"It was a difficult extraction from the scene and treatment of the patient whilst in that environment," Inspector Morrow said.

"You're in a creek bed with jagged rocks, you've go to do some serious medical procedures on a young child that you normally don't do in a bushland setting."

A doctor and intensive care paramedic had to be winched in to treat Vincent - who was in and out of consciousness - before a rescue helicopter could transport him safely to hospital.

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After a delicate rescue with the help of multiple emergency services, Vincent was on his way to the Sydney Children's Hospital for life-saving surgery.

"It's the most terrifying experience to see your kid in such a fragile state,: Ms Bate said. "But all the nurses and the doctors have this amazing vibe to be able to care for the parents ... as well as a sick child."

The next 10 days were spent in the Intensive Care Unit, before heading to the rehabilitation ward for weeks of treatment.

Ms Bate and partner Greg "tag teamed" staying at the hospital while her family, friends and strangers "rallied around" to help them out.

"People were walking our dog, they were mowing our lawn, they were bringing us meals," she said. "Two of my oldest friends put together a Go Fund Me page."

The help and support was overwhelming yet much appreciated. But the greatest gift of all was Vincent's recovery.

"Given the severity of his injuries and his poor conscious state on arrival, he has recovered better than we expected," said neurosurgeon Raj Reddy.

"He spent several weeks with limited mobility owing to pain and deconditioning after his head, spinal and limb injuries but his clinical and radiological progress has been excellent and we have been thrilled to see how quickly he got better."

Dr Reddy said the care and services provided certainly aided in Vincent's recovery, but there was also "an element of luck to his good outcome".

"I am eternally grateful," Ms Bate said.