A massive contingent greeted the Murugappan family at Perth Airport before they boarded a plane home to Biloela on Wednesday morning, ending a four-year immigration battle.

The Tamil family of four, who have been fighting deportation since 2018, are one step closer to becoming Australian residents after the Albanese government intervened two weeks ago and granted them bridging visas to return to the central Queensland town they call home.

Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan arrived by boat as Tamil asylum seekers about a decade ago, and their Australian-born daughters, Kopika and Tharnicaa, were detained on Christmas Island in August 2019 after earlier detention on the mainland while they sought refugee status in the courts.

“You couldn’t wipe the smile off the face of the Biloela family this morning,” 6PR news reporter Jake Battrick told Breakfast host Gareth Parker.

Hear more from Jake and the Biloela family at Perth Airport

It’s been four years since the Nadesalingam family was taken from their community Biloela – after their temporary protection visas expired.

Today, they begin their journey home. @6PR @6PRbreakfast @9NewsPerth pic.twitter.com/1yiQAAC8XB

— Jake Battrick (@JakeBattrick) June 7, 2022