The Napier family of murdered man Campbell Paterson is awaiting news of the return of his body from Australia.

His body was found dismembered inside a chilly bin in bush land in Far North Queensland on Thursday.

Mr Paterson was working in Cairns and returned regularly to Napier, where his wife and four children live.

Family members have taken to Facebook over their anguish with one describing him as 'an incredible and wonderful person'.

Cairns man David Hickson will appear in the court next week, charged with murder and interfering with a corpse.