A man has been charged over the murder of international student Mengmei Leng, 25, whose naked body was recovered from inside a blowhole on the New South Wales Central Coast last Sunday.

Derek Barrett, 27, of Newcastle, confirmed by police to be Ms Leng's uncle, was arrested on Friday and charged with murder late Friday night.

He appeared in Parramatta Local Court via video link on Saturday. He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused by the court.

Barrett is due to appear at Burwood Local Court on May 4.

Ms Leng, a former student from China, was first reported missing before her body was recovered last Sunday at Snapper Point at the Munmorah State Conservation Area.

Police said she had been stabbed more than 30 times.

The ABC understands Barrett is married to her aunt, and Ms Leng was living with the couple and a cousin at their home in the Sydney suburb of Campsie.

Police sources said Barrett was a former IT worker.

They have not ruled out further charges including sexual assault and are awaiting results of DNA tests.

The victim's mother has arrived in Australia from China to attend court hearing, the ABC understands.

Family 'distraught beyond belief'

Derek Barrett, 27, (left) has been charged with the murder of his niece Mengmei Leng (far right). ( Instagram )

An uncle in Chengdu, China, who is acting as a spokesman for the family and spoke through an interpreter, said they were "distraught beyond belief" at Ms Leng's death.

He said the family was "very shocked" that Barrett has been charged with the murder.

He said Ms Leng's mother, who has been "inconsolable about the loss of her daughter", is now in a hotel room in Sydney.

Ms Leng's body was recovered last Sunday at Snapper Point. ( NSW Police Facebook )

Police earlier said Ms Leng, who was also known as Michelle, had been stabbed and they believed her body was dumped at the blowhole.

"When the body was recovered from the water there [were] a number of injuries indicative of Michelle suffering a very violent attack," said Detective Inspector Gary Jubelin.

Inspector Jubelin said police had informed members of Ms Leng's family, living both in Australia and overseas, of the news.

"We spoke to Michelle's aunty who she lives with, then I spoke to Michelle's brother by phone who she lives with in China," he said.

"It's terrible news to deliver and you can understand how upset they were."

Ms Leng had completed a business degree at the University of Technology Sydney and was studying at the Sydney Institute of Interpreting and Translation.