Australian experts on the ground in Ukraine are hoping they'll soon have access to the Malaysian Airlines MH17 crash site.
The prime minister's special envoy, retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, says things are moving quickly near the site and his team should get access "in the near future".
Malaysian and Dutch authorities had been granted access to the site but only three people were permitted to enter at one time, he said.
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously voted for a resolution demanding full cooperation for an international investigation at the site.
"Things seem to have settled down a little bit," Mr Houston told ABC radio from the Ukraine city Kharkiv.
"But I would emphasise that there is still extensive fighting in the eastern Ukraine and the environment is very fluid."
A refrigerated train carrying the remains of Australian and other victims of downed flight MH17 has arrived in Kharkiv, marking the start of Operation Bring Them Home.
Mr Houston is in Kharkiv to witness the first group of bodies be flown to Dutch authorities and to attend a small ceremony for the dead.
Australian authorities are waiting in the Netherlands to begin the task of identifying the victims.
Mr Houston, who also led the search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, has met with Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and ambassadors of countries affected by the crash.
He said his "feet have not touched the ground" since arriving in Ukraine two days ago.
Up to 39 Australian citizens and residents were among the nearly 300 people killed when MH17 was downed five days ago.
Access to the crash site has been frustrated by Russian-backed separatists and there are fears evidence may have been tampered with.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said the government won't rest until the bodies of the victims are brought home to their families.
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