The parents of murdered Sydney man Matthew Leveson hope they can finally keep a promise to bring their son home after human remains were found in the NSW Royal National Park.
On the eighth day of searching bushland in Waterfall, two excavators stopped work on Wednesday afternoon and Matthew's parents, Mark and Faye, embraced after being told of the discovery of human bones.
They were led by NSW Police to a specific area within the search site to pay their respects.
"We're stunned, shocked, relieved - all sorts of emotions," Mr Leveson told reporters at the scene.
"There's still more to do, so this is just one more step or one more battle in the war."
Mrs Leveson said the pair had spent nine years, eight months and eight days searching for their son.
"We made a promise and we kept it and now we can lay him to rest, if it turns out to be Matt," she said.
"Our boys won't have to go through their lives looking for their brother."
Matthew was last seen leaving a Sydney nightclub in 2007 with his boyfriend Michael Atkins who was acquitted of his murder in 2009, but last year led police to the potential burial site.
Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin said a forensic anthropologist visited the site.
"The human remains have not been confirmed as Matthew Leveson, but they are consistent with being Matthew Leveson's remains," he said.
"We anticipate the exhuming of the remains will take a number of days and the crime scene is being preserved."
As darkness fell on the park and the temperature dropped, the NSW coroner visited the scene with a team of specialists.
Headlights from police vehicles lit up the bushland as officers in white jumpsuits led a group to the location with torches.
Family members arrived and hugged Mark and Faye Leveson.
The scene will be guarded overnight before police return in the morning to begin a delicate process of recovery. The Levesons will also return to observe the process.
"It's a nice peaceful place," Mr Leveson said on Wednesday night.
"Apart from being cold, it's quite pleasant here."
It's the third time in six months police have searched the bushland area after operations in November and January failed to find any trace of Matthew.
Mr Atkins took detectives to the potential burial site after he was offered immunity from prosecution for perjury and contempt of court. He had admitted to lying at an inquest into the suspected murder.
Mr Leveson said the accused had "all the rights" and the family had none.
Ms Leveson said Mr Atkins could have ended their pain more than nine years ago.
"He chose to stay in Queensland and not come down," she said.
"He could have been down here helping but, no, he didn't."
The ongoing inquest into Matthew's death is scheduled to resume in August.
