The family of a Melbourne woman who was killed while travelling in Africa has been told she was raped and murdered after becoming separated from her tour group.
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Elly Warren, from Mordialloc, was killed in Mozambique on Wednesday while on a diving trip.
Her distraught family believe the 20-year-old's body was found in a toilet block.
Elly was due to return to Australia on Monday, before travelling to New Zealand with her boyfriend on Friday.
Between tears, Ms Warren's mother Nicole Cafarella told Fairfax Media that Elly was "just one of those girls that wanted to travel the world and see everything she could before she was 30".
She said her daughter was travelling in Africa alone. It's believed she was part of a diving group, hoping to fulfil her lifelong dream of swimming with whales.
In a Facebook post, Elly's sister Kristy Warren, said her mother had got a call to say Elly had been killed.
"My sister was in Africa when my mum got a phone call from one of the backpackers saying her daughter has been murdered, as I heard that my heart dropped," she said.
"It is a parents' nightmare to get a phone call like this.
"Elly was always ambitious and had so many goals to go travelling but maybe she had too many.
"I want to say if you are thinking of going travelling or going overseas please be careful [about]who you go with. Rest in peace Elly, you are loved dearly."
Ms Warren's stepfather David Cafarella said the news was very raw, and they were still seeking information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
"We can't say anything else until we find out more. We haven't got any more information from DFAT," he said.
He said that despite being only just out of her teens, Elly was already a "seasoned traveller" with an "insatiable desire to help the environment and others less fortunate" than herself.
"She worked several jobs when home to fund her next adventure often working 16 hours a day sleeping in the car between jobs," Mr Cafarella said.
Following her trip to Africa, he said Ms Warren had planned to return home and study at university.
"She was off to NZ when she got back and then to James Cook University to begin her studies to become a marine biologist her great passion and what she wanted to do with her life more than anything," Mr Cafarella said.
"She has volunteered in South America and Africa in various environmental study locations.
"Her strong will and work ethic were her strengths as was her love of family, especially her 8-year-old brother Sam.
"She was a really determined, beautiful young woman who we are all going to miss so much."
There are already hundreds of messages from friends on social media, with Elly remembered as a "gorgeous girl" with an "infectious smile".
"I'll never forget your huge infectious smile and crazy stories," Milly Waters said.
"Rest in peace you gorgeous girl. You were actually such a beautiful person who knew exactly what she wanted in life and it is devastating that you were taken before all your dreams could come true," Claudia Hall said.
"You were really a one of a kind, such a lovely soul," Codie Diston said.
Ms Warren's father Paul Warren posted a photo on Facebook, with a tribute: "My lovely daughter Elly passed away yesterday when overseas. I loved her dearly & I will miss her so much."
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that it was "providing consular assistance to the family of a woman who died in Mozambique".
The government's Smart Traveller website says Australians travelling to Mozambique should exercise a "high degree of caution".
"Pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media about possibly new safety or security risks. Avoid travelling at night."
