The body of a young Canadian backpacker found dead at a popular tourist destination will have her body returned to her family.

Piper James, 19, was found dead surrounded by dingoes near the surf at Maheno Wreck on K’gari, Queensland, about 6am on Monday, just an hour after she was believed to have gone for a swim.

While a cause of death may take months to be determined, her heartbroken father Todd James has revealed her body is set to be repatriated next week.

“Next week Piper’s body will be repatriated home back to Campbell River (in the Canadian province of British Columbia), where a celebration of her life will be held,” he said in a post to social media.

Todd added further tests still need to be conducted to conclude if “the fluid found in her lungs was inhaled or not”.

“These tests should be able to tell us whether or not it was a drowning,” he said.

He also thanked those who have shown his family support throughout the “very dark” time.

“We are so very grateful for the overwhelming amount of support that Angela (Piper’s mother) and I are receiving,” Todd said.

“It truly helps knowing we are not alone in the heartbreak.

“She was an incredible human.”

The Queensland Coroner’s Court confirmed Piper’s body showed signs of contact with dingoes but a pathology result will take several weeks.

“The autopsy has found physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites. Pre-mortem dingo bite marks are not likely to have caused immediate death,” it said.

“There are extensive post-mortem dingo bite marks.

“There is no evidence that any other person was involved.”

Todd said he wants to meet with the Queensland Premier to push for safety changes on the island to prevent another tragedy.

He says Piper adored nature and animals and would never have supported a dingo cull — but he believes urgent safety improvements are needed.

Among the measures he wants considered are stronger training for island staff, mandatory carrying of dingo sticks, and even a ban on children under 13 visiting K’gari.

Local community members have raised fears the young woman’s death will spark a culling of the island’s dingo population, with Queensland Premier David Crisafulli not ruling anything out.

Traditional owners have argued against a cull, instead calling for a cap on visitors and introducing periodic island closures.

K’gari reportedly attracts about 500,000 visitors annually, but the traditional owners believe the real figure is closer to 800,000.