The body of a young Gold Coast man who died while fighting Islamic State militants in Syria has been returned to Australia.
The body of 23-year-old Reece Harding arrived in Melbourne on Friday night, ahead of a traditional Kurdish funeral service to be held on Sunday.
Up to 1000 Kurdish mourners are expected to attend the service in memory of the man they now consider a brother.
Keith Harding and his wife Michele will stand alongside Australian Kurds on Sunday, and he says he's humbled by the community's determination to honour their son.
"It just shows how much he was loved by the Kurdish community. We're so proud of him and obviously they are proud of what he was doing for their people over there," Mr Harding told AAP on Friday.
Reece died in June when he stepped on a land mine while supporting the Kurdish YPG, People's Defence Units, battling to defeat the terrorist organisation in Syria.
Mr Harding said he hoped Reece's death had raised the plight of the Kurdish people's suffering at the hands of IS militants.
"I think more people are aware now of who the YPG are, and that they are fighting against IS," he said.
In a video message released after his death, Reece said he felt compelled to join the fight because the West wasn't doing enough to stop the suffering and slaughter of innocent Kurdish people.
Sunday's service will be held at the Kurdish Association of Victoria's headquarters at Pascoe Vale in Melbourne from 2pm.
Organiser Mahmut Kahramanm said the service would feature speeches about the sacrifice Reece had made in the name of the Kurdish people.
"It could be as many as 500 to 1000," he said of the expected crowd.
Reece's body will later be brought home to the Gold Coast for a family funeral on August 1.
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