Detectives are investigating after Tamara Maree Schmidt (37), of Brisbane, was found dead after being hit by a car on State Highway 1 about 10km from Bluff on Monday morning.
• Police reticent over woman's death
Her eldest son, 20-year-old Jack Caughey, said the family was still coming to terms with the crushing news.
''At the moment, we don't really want to believe this has happened,'' Mr Caughey told the Otago Daily Times from Queensland yesterday.
''I'm waiting for someone to come over and say `this is a big joke' because I don't want to believe.''
Ms Schmidt also has two younger sons and a daughter.
''Everyone was called to meet,'' he said.
''I saw everyone crying and I didn't know what was wrong.
''My dad came over and said `it's your mum'. It hit me and a part of me was taken away and I can't get it back.''
His mother had given the world to her family, he said.
''She was always kind and she was always happy. She would make sure she did anything she could to make people happy. She was beautiful - she didn't deserve this.''
Ms Schmidt was holidaying in New Zealand with her Australian partner. It was her first trip out of her native country.
''She always wanted to go to New Zealand,'' he said.
''I've always wanted to go as well. [Her death has] given me more reason to go so I can be there, where she was.''
Ms Schmidt had only been in New Zealand for a few days when the tragedy occurred.
Police were still piecing together what happened to Ms Schmidt in the hours before her death and few details had been shared with the family, Mr Caughey said.
He had not heard from his mother's partner, but said the pair were ''really, really close'' and he believed they were recently engaged.
The family had not yet decided on a date for Ms Schmidt's funeral, but it would be held in Queensland, he said.
However, the family's first priority was to bring her body home.
''I want to hope she is in a happier place,'' Mr Caughey said.
