The Bali nine prisoners Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been transferred from Kerobokan prison under heavy military guard as they begin their journey to Nusakambangan island, the place where they are to be executed by firing squad.
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The development comes amid signs of a breakdown in communication between the Indonesian and Australian governments, with Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop admitting there had been no official confirmation from Indonesian officials that a transfer was going to take place.
The prisoners were driven through the gates of Kerobokan in a Wolf armoured personnel carrier in the early hours of Wednesday morning. They were followed by police in a Barracuda armoured vehicle.
Andrew Chan's brother Michael Chan arrived at the prison just after 5am local time. He attempted to convince officials to let him inside to see his brother but they rebuffed his efforts. He was accompanied by Andrew's Indonesian girlfriend, Phoebe, who left in tears after they tried to negotiate their way inside.
Streets have been blocked off and two buses of crowd control police carrying riot shields and baton have been deployed along with a contingent of military. A water cannon has also been stationed outside the prison in case of trouble.
The Australians are now being taken to Denpasar airport, from where they will be transported in a Hercules and CN295 military planes, one for the prisoners and their guards, one for security personnel.
Chan and Sukumaran will be able to take only personal belongings with them to Nusakambangan.
Once at the penal island, the duo will be moved into specially prepared isolation cells and await news of when their execution will take place. They will be given 72 hours notice before they meet the firing squad.
They will be shot dead alongside eight other drug felons in a mass executions, according to plans revealed thus far.
While they wait, they will be allowed to meet with their families, lawyers and receive comfort from religious figures.
Ms Bishop said she was "utterly dismayed" to learn that the Australians were being moved from Kerobokan prison without all of their legal avenues being exhausted.
She said Indonesian officials still had not informed the Australian government of the proposed date the executions would take place.
"They [Indonesian officials] are in touch with our consular officials in Bali," Ms Bishop said in an interview on Channel 9's Today Show.
"We have not received any official information as to the proposed transfer of Mr Sukumaran or Mr Chan. I ... asked that the Australian government be kept informed."
Asked if there would be repercussions from the Australian Government if the men were executed, Ms Bishop responded: "I am sure that Indonesia understands it will have consequences."
Ms Bishop said she was planning to speak to Chan and Sukumaran's families on Wednesday.
Abbott holds out hope
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, despite the movement outside Kerobokan prison early on Wednesday morning, he was still hopeful that Chan and Sukumaran would be given a reprieve.
"Even at the 11th hour, I hope that there might be a change of heart in Indonesia and these executions might be stopped," Mr Abbott said.
He said he continued to make representations to the Indonesian government that "this execution would be against their best interests, and it would be against their best values".
"The point that I've been making again and again is that, yes, these two men have done a terrible thing, but they've now been in jail for about a decade, and in that time they have been well and truly rehabilitated. So as things stand today, these two men are actually allies of the Indonesian government in its fight against drug crime.
"I know that Indonesia has a ... horrible, horrible drug problem, and I absolutely appreciate and accept Indonesia's desire to fight very hard indeed against their drug menace, but these two Australians are actually assets in the fight against drugs and that's why I think these executions make no sense whatsoever."
An Australian business delegation to Indonesia led by Trade Minister Andrew Robb planned for this month has been quietly shelved amid escalating tensions between the countries ahead of the executions.
Asked whether government ministers might be banned from travelling to Indonesia if the executions took place, Mr Abbott said: "I don't want to flag what might happen should these executions go ahead."
