UPDATED 9PM: A Waipukurau home is heavily guarded tonight as forensic investigators work to determine just how two people died.

Two bodies were found at the home in central Hawke's Bay just before 9am after police received information from family members.

Detective Inspector Rob Jones said police would be continuing their inquiries at the address over the weekend with forensic support from ESR.

"As the investigation is in its early stages it is too soon to speculate about what has occurred," he said.

"The names of the deceased cannot be released at this stage and information will be released to media when police are able to do so."

Gary Breakwell, whose home shares a driveway with the property involved, said it wasn’t clear what had happened and the owners were a quiet couple.

“I knew them just as neighbours, not socially,” Breakwell said.

“I’ve just been out of the gate and talking to a policeman there, but they’re giving me no information whatsoever. I knew nothing about it until this morning when I was asked if I’d seen anything unusual.”

Andy Hunter, who owns a property across the street, said he didn’t have much interaction with them either.

“I wasn’t there last might so we were unaware of this until today. I don’t know them very well,” Hunter said.

A local restaurateur said the news has come as a shock to a small community.

“Oh yes, this is all very different. That’s for sure,” he said. “But I don’t know a thing, it’s all hush-hush.”

NZ Herald