The family of an Australian Greenpeace activist behind bars in Russia is urging the Abbott government to intervene ahead of his bail hearing appeal.
Colin Russell, 59, has been in a Russian jail since September for his part in an open-sea Greenpeace protest against oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean.
Last week a Russian court added three months to his pre-trial detention.
He's the only one of 30 crew members involved in the Arctic oil protest, who has been denied release.
His wife Christine and daughter Madeleine are flying from Hobart to Sydney on Sunday and will attempt to obtain Russian visas on Monday so they can visit Mr Russell in Saint Petersburg.
They hope to fly to Russia on Wednesday or Thursday.
Mrs Russell said the appeal hearing is expected early this week.
She said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had made representations to the Russians about the case in early October during the APEC summit.
"But there's been nothing since," Mrs Russell told reporters in Hobart on Sunday.
She said British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had intervened to help their citizens involved in the incident.
"I just think Colin would be so ashamed at the thought that our prime minister and foreign affairs minister have not been able to take five minutes ... and pick up the phone and make direct representations," Mrs Russell said.
"Please pick up the phone and speak to President Putin (Mr Abbott) before this bail appeal hearing."
His daughter said she can't wait to give her dad a hug.
A spokesman for Mr Abbott said it was a matter for Ms Bishop.
Mr Russell has received consular assistance.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said Ms Bishop wrote to her Russian counterpart on November 14 calling for the case to be resolved quickly.
"The Australian Ambassador to Russia met a senior official from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 20 to discuss Mr Russell's case," he said.
Consular officials from the Australian Embassy in Moscow visited Mr Russell at the Saint Petersburg detention facility on November 21.
"His conditions were satisfactory," the spokesman said.
The Australian government has no standing in the Russian legal proceedings and cannot intervene in the investigation, he said.
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