The remains of a New Zealand man whose body was found in a chilly bin in Queensland last week are expected to return home today.
A tip-off led detectives to discover the dismembered body of Napier man Campbell Paterson in a chilly bin in bushland in southeast of Cairns last Thursday.
Queensland police are waiting on official identification confirmation using DNA testing, and yesterday Mr Paterson's remains were being held at the John Tonge mortuary in Brisbane.
Mr Paterson's Napier-based family said they "desperately" wanted to give him the "tangi he deserves" and have left tributes and flowers at a Maraenui mural Mr Paterson created in 2002.
A total of $4966 was raised by the public via the Givealittle website to help the family bring him home.
All costs associated with the death of a New Zealand citizen overseas are the responsibility of the family.
Cairns local David Leslie Hickson, 32, is charged with murder and interfering with a corpse. The crimes are alleged to have occurred on November 7.
Hickson, a known associate of Mr Paterson, was remanded in custody after appearing in Cairns Magistrates' Court last Thursday and will reappear on December 17.
- Sam Hurley of Hawke's Bay Today