Heartbroken family of Irish woman killed in Victoria thank public for 'tremendous support'

The family of an Irish backpacker, killed in a horror car crash in rural Victoria, have thanked the public for raising enough money to repatriate her body home.

Amy Gill died from injuries suffered in the crash at Salisbury West on February 6.

The 23-year-old was heading to her second day of work when she was killed. Gill had left Ireland on January 14 to live in Australia with her best friend. The pair had spent their first few weeks travelling the country, before finding employment on a tomato farm.

Friends and family had created a GoFundMe page to raise €15,000 ($24k AUD) to allow her body to be taken back to her home town of Co. Mayo, in Ireland.

They've now stopped donations having raised €44,000 ($70k AUD).

"We, on behalf of Amy’s family, do not know where to begin in thanking everybody for their generous donations," Leanne Gill wrote on the fundraising page.

"We never imagined last Friday evening, on setting up this page, the tremendous support we have received over the past 48 hours.

"Thank you to everybody - friends, neighbours, family, people we do not even know - for helping us at this most difficult time.

"The unbelievable support and generosity from all of you has given Amy’s parents and sisters some comfort in knowing they will have Amy home as soon as possible now."

Another of her friends, Nicole Williams, spoke to the Mirror about the tragedy.

"She had a kind and gentle soul," Williams said. "I remember all the fun we had, even on our worst days we'd find something to laugh and talk about. We'd always be giggling about something.

"Amy was the loveliest and most genuine girl. She was always smiling and was always willing to do anything to help you."