Point Cook woman Chaithanya Madhagani has been fondly remembered by neighbours. Photo: Supplied / Facebook / ABC
An Australian woman whose body was found inside a bin beside a dirt road in regional Victoria has been remembered as a "lovely", "friendly" person who adored her young son.
As news of the shocking death of Chaithanya Madhagani, also known as Swetha, rippled through communities in Melbourne's west and in India, police were seen removing a vehicle from the family's home in Point Cook.
The body of Madhagani was discovered about midday on Saturday on Mount Pollock Road in Buckley, near the town of Winchelsea.
Investigators are treating the woman's death as suspicious and have set up a crime scene at the site, about 30 minutes west of Geelong.
A second crime scene was established at Mirka Way in Point Cook, where Madhagani lived with her husband and son.
Police believe the parties involved in Madhagani's death were known to one another, and that the offender may have fled overseas.
Praveen Kumar Thopucherla, executive chairperson of the Melbourne Telanganga Forum, said Ms Madhagani was very active in the community, and regularly attended events.
Thopucherla said the entire community was in shock after learning of her death.
"We are not able to digest this. It is too far to think or even imagine," he said.
He said she was born in India, before arriving in Australia as a student. "Then she settled down here, she worked hard and she's a citizen and got established."
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, remembered her as "very lovely, very outgoing and friendly".
She said they were a "very simple family - I would say nothing out of the ordinary".
"She was so friendly and she adored her kid, her son. She was just talking about like the school and kindergartens and what to do and all those sorts of things and then she wanted to catch up regularly."
Madhagani and her family had lived in Point Cook for at least three years, the neighbour said.
A Victoria Police spokesperson earlier said there was no immediate threat to the community and no arrests had been made.
Anyone with information is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
* This story was first published by the ABC.
