NZ family mourn esky murder victim

The family of a New Zealand man whose dismembered body was found in an esky south of Cairns say they are having difficulty coming to grips with his death.

The man has been named in NZ newspaper Hawke's Bay Today as Campbell Paterson, from Napier.

His remains were found in bushland on Thursday.

Hours earlier, police charged David Hickson, 32, with murder and interfering with a corpse.

Mr Paterson had been working in Cairns and returning home to his wife and four children in Napier every few months.

A family member told Hawke's Bay Today they are trying to come to grips with his death.

"We are having a family get together ... and will be talking about it among ourselves," she said.

"It's obviously very difficult and sad for us right now, especially for Campbell's kids and wife."

Mr Paterson's body is expected to be returned to New Zealand on Monday.

Tributes to Mr Paterson were posted on social media.

"My heart is broken - feeling sad," Iharaira Paterson wrote on Facebook.

Police received information a week before the missing man's body was found that he had possibly met with foul play, Cairns regional crime co-ordinator Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said.

Police are investigating the site where the body was found and a house in the Cairns suburb of Edmonton.

Hickson appeared in Cairns Magistrates Court on Thursday and his case was adjourned until December 17.