The children of Christopher Jarvis say they are hurt a man accused of murdering their father will soon be free to live just 10 kilometres away from them.
But their focus remains on finding their dad so that they can lay him to rest.
“We’re distraught about it and obviously unhappy, but at the end of the day we’re just looking for peace and we want to find his remains,” Cale Jarvis said outside the Supreme Court on Friday.
Mr Jarvis has been missing for almost 17 years.
He was last seen leaving his home in Wangoom, near Warrnambool in Victoria’s west, in June 2006.
Although the 38-year-old’s body has not yet been found, Steven Johnson, 71, and Glenn Fenwick, 59, have been charged with Mr Jarvis’ murder.
The two accused men are yet to be committed to trial, with the case still progressing through the magistrates court.
Police have been told Mr Jarvis’ remains are buried in Framlingham Forest, a native woodland owned by an Indigenous trust.
Johnson, who denies any involvement in the death or disappearance, was on Friday granted bail after a judge found he would be significantly vulnerable in custody.
He was released on a $500,000 surety after his wife offered up half the value of their 1.79 hectare property in Wangoom.
Strict bail conditions have been imposed on Johnson after prosecutors said they feared he may go to the forest and try to interfere with a potential crime scene, before police have finished their search.
“I’m satisfied that the prosecution have demonstrated there is a risk that the applicant will interfere with a witness or otherwise obstruct the course of justice,” Justice John Champion said.
Johnson will be fitted with a GPS tracking device on his ankle, to alert detectives of his movements and notify them if he goes near the forest.
The device will cost Johnson $25,000 to install, the court was told.
He must abide by a curfew and cannot speak to his co-accused, directly or indirectly, nor any prosecution witnesses save for his wife Marilyn.
Outside court, Mr Jarvis’ stepdaughter Nicole Raitt, whom he raised from three-years-old, said she was hurt by the decision to release Johnson.
“It hurts to know he’s going to be 10 kilometres from us, we could see him at the supermarket. Warrnambool’s very little,” she said.
Johnson’s lawyers told the court the prosecution’s case was “very weak” with only circumstantial evidence connecting him to the alleged killing.
Prosecutors allege Johnson asked Fenwick to help him confront Mr Jarvis over a dispute about outstanding rent. Johnson was Mr Jarvis’ landlord and was due to appear at a tribunal to try and evict him the day after the alleged killing.
It will be alleged the pair murdered Mr Jarvis in the latter’s driveway by hitting him with an imitation firearm, before pinning him on the ground and hitting him again with a baseball bat, the court was told.
Johnson is accused of burying Mr Jarvis in the forest, driving his car to Thunder Point coastal lookout and allegedly setting it on fire.
Police further allege Johnson tried to cover up the crime scene by grading the driveway using a tractor.
Fenwick, who has not applied for bail, will next appear alongside Johnson at Warrnambool Magistrates Court on June 16.
Johnson will be released from prison once he is fitted with the GPS ankle device.