Grace Millane's family join vigil before public mourning

Grace Millane's family have joined police staff in a private memorial in the Waitakere Ranges to remember the 22-year-old's life and tragic death.

On Tuesday, her father and his brother visited the location just off Scenic Drive where the UK backpacker's body was discovered, NZME reports. It will be followed by public vigils across New Zealand on Wednesday in memory of Ms Millane.

White Ribbon ambassador Anna Campbell is speaking at the vigil for Grace in Auckland tonight and says she will speak about the "shame" New Zealand feels about the death of Ms Millane here.

"She was a beautiful girl and her life was cut short far too quickly," she told The AM Show host Duncan Garner on Wednesday.

"I also want to start a conversation with New Zealanders that it's not enough for us to be standing saying 'I'm not a violent person'.

"Actually we need to take really proactive action and start to have the conversation about the terrible statistics that we've got in New Zealand."

New Zealand has the worst rate of family and intimate-partner violence in the world, with police investigating more than 120,000 family harm incidents in 2017.

Ms Campbell says the statistics are "really bad" and "completely under-reported" by up to 80 percent.

"It's the conversation we're too afraid to have as a country," she says.

"We know that this is happening but people are really uncomfortable to start to talk about it."

White Ribbon will host its event from 6-7pm in St Patricks Square in Auckland CBD. Another vigil will take place in Auckland at 12pm on Saturday, December 15 on Queen St.

SkyCity will be lighting up the Sky Tower in white from Monday night through to Wednesday night as a symbol of support and love to Grace's family, as well as those who have lost loved ones to violence.

The base of the Sky Tower will go dark while the top will be lit to depict a white ribbon, supporting White Ribbon Awareness.

The list of public vigils

Auckland, Wednesday 12th, 6pm, St Patrick's Cathedral Square

Auckland, Wednesday  12th, 7pm, Federal Street.

Hamilton, Wednesday 12th, 7pm, Location TBC.

New Plymouth, Wednesday 12th, 7pm, Puki Ariki Landing.

Wellington, Wednesday  12th, 7pm, Civic Square.

Nelson, Wednesday 12th, 7pm, 1903 Square.

Christchurch, Wednesday 12th, 7pm, Cathedral Square.

Dunedin, Wednesday 12th, 7pm, Lower Octagon.

Memorial Cruise, Friday 14th, 10pm, Gather at Quay Street to cruise to Scenic Drive, Waitakere.

Auckland, Saturday 15th, 12pm, Auckland City.

Mount Manganui, Saturday 15th, 8pm Sunset vigil at Surf Club.

Blenheim, Wednesday 12th, 7pm, Taylor River Amphitheatre.

Newshub.