A distraught Jenny Geppert, bent down on her knees and one-by-one wrapped her arms around each of the five coffins to kiss the timber surface at the Hunt family burial in rural NSW.

She placed her tear-streaked cheek on each coffin, including the one holding her brother-in-law Geoff Hunt – the man police say killed her sister Kim, as well as her two nieces and nephew.

· Heartbreak over slain family

It was her final, private moments with them before mourners began to trickle down the dirt path at Lockhart cemetery in the Riverina on Tuesday.

The bodies of Kim Hunt and her children, Fletcher, 10, Mia, 8, and Phoebe, 6, were found with gunshot wounds at their Watch Hill homestead on September 9.

Family and friends farewelled the Hunt family at their funeral. Photo: AAP

The next day, police found the body of the children’s father and Mrs Hunt’s husband, Geoff, in a dam on the property.

They also found a shotgun in the water.

The small rural town of Lockhart, 60km west of Wagga Wagga, came to a halt to bid farewell to the well-known farming family almost two weeks after their deaths rocked the community.

Five coffins, arranged from smallest to largest, lay next to each other covered with white and pink flowers at the cemetery.

A huge bundle of freshly harvested green wheat lay on top of the largest timber coffin and a small white coffin.

Family and close friends released pink and blue balloons into the cloudless blue sky to the harmony of The Verve’s song Bitter Sweet Symphony.

Hundreds of people are expected at a community memorial service on Tuesday afternoon at Lockhart sports ground where memories and tributes to the family will be shared.

The families of the Hunt clan paid tribute to the much-loved community members and conceded the past fortnight had been “traumatic and full of sadness”.

“It’s been a reminder to us the importance of compassion, kindness and respect,” the families said in a statement read by close friend and Lockhart deputy mayor Rodger Schirmer.

Mrs Hunt was a generous soul, a green thumb and a talented sportswoman and Mr Hunt had been a “devoted father and loving husband”, Mr Schirmer said.

“We loved each one of them and we will miss them all for the rest of our lives,” he said.

The statement reflected the absence of any ill-feeling toward Mr Hunt and the intense grief the community has felt since the tragedy.

Superintendent Bob Noble said the small country town, which has a population of about 800, had been hit hard.

“It’s been a difficult two weeks – I suspect probably the worst two weeks post the war that this community has ever experienced,” he said.

“They can probably put a full stop on that chapter and start looking at the grieving process properly.”

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