The family of slain Sydney siege hostage Katrina Dawson have made an emotional visit to Martin Place.
Ms Dawson, 38, a barrister and mother-of-three, along with Lindt cafe manager Tori Johnson, 34, were pronounced dead after the dramatic 16-hour stand-off which came to an end in the early hours on Tuesday.
Four family members slowly made their way around the enormous floral tribute, which has been building in the CBD as members of the public continue lay bunches of flowers and leave messages of remembrance.
The two men and two woman were visibly upset as they read cards and embraced each other at the shrine on Thursday.
The start of school holidays has led many families to come and pay their respects on Thursday.
For Sydney mother Jacqui Sherlock, the visit had special significance.
She and her three daughters Scarlett, seven, Annabelle, 10, and Victoria, 12, were planning to visit the Lindt cafe in Martin Place on Monday, when the deadly siege began.
"It's our tradition to go see Santa and get a hot chocolate at the Lindt shop before or after," Mrs Sherlock said.
"We were actually on our way in and we got the call from my husband who works in the city not to come."
Mrs Sherlock said her girls had been shaken by the experience and wanted to visit the shrine as a way of healing.
"Victoria's nickname is Tori," she said.
"She says she feels sick and she wants to cry but she's in too much shock. It's just a process ... you come here and it's really moving."
NSW Premier Mike Baird says a permanent memorial will be erected in Martin Place when the time is right.
"This is something that will be with us forever. We need to recognise that and pay tribute to the inspiring Australians that we have lost, and what they have given us," he told Macquarie Radio.
"They've given us something so special which is this unprecedented bond of togetherness and strength in the face of adversity."
Standing in front of the sea of flowers, Mr Baird said the city and state was coming together like never before.
"My heart is beating louder and prouder because of what we are seeing," he told Sky News.
Mr Baird says the outpouring of emotion is remarkable.
"I've seen a four-year-old through to a 75-year-old, people from different faiths and backgrounds ... putting flowers down, all united. It's an outpouring of grief, but at the same time it's almost this unprecedented unity," he told the Seven Network.
"It is a healing process, but it shows this city is back."
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