Katareina Veitch (23) was with friends in the nightclub suburb of Hampden when she stepped outside a building and was approached by a man who threw her into the back seat of his car and drove off, with another man in the vehicle.
The two men, thought to be of Asian descent, eventually released Miss Veitch unharmed. Perth police have arrested two men, one of whom has been charged with abduction and released on bail. Less serious charges are believed to have been laid against the other man.
It could be 18 months before a trial begins in the Western Australia capital.
Miss Veitch's father, Graham, who manages a Balclutha pizza shop, yesterday said he was relieved after what had been a harrowing few days for the family.
His wife, Wendy, and Katareina's aunt, Hazel Dowling, arrived in Perth late on Saturday to be with her.
Miss Veitch arrived in Perth last March with her younger brother, Rani. She had been working in mines, several hours away from the city, and was back in Perth with friends during their seven days off work.
After sleeping all last Wednesday, the group decided to go nightclubbing and visited clubs in Fremantle before moving to Hampden.
Mr Veitch said his daughter was outside a nightclub about 1am on Thursday when a man approached her and ‘‘quick as a flash'' she was tossed into the back seat of a two-door vehicle.
Miss Veitch began verbally abusing the two men, who continued driving around the town. At one point, it is believed she was threatened but this could not be confirmed.
The men eventually agreed to let Miss Veitch go but she refused to leave until they gave her cellphone back.
She was let out in a remote area and called her father about 9am (NZ time).
He insisted she call the police and an investigation into the abduction started soon afterwards.
That same day, Miss Veitch endured seven hours of forensic testing as authorities moved fast to try to find those responsible.
She also managed to identify two men from police photographs and within hours, two arrests had been made.
Mr Veitch said his daughter was holding up very well, considering her ordeal and was keen to return to work in the mines tomorrow.
The experience had not put her off living in Australia and she was enjoying her new friends and the experience of living abroad.
Mrs Veitch is expected to return to New Zealand on Wednesday once her daughter is back at work. She, Mrs Dowling and Miss Veitch spent much of yesterday sightseeing in Perth.
