The 23-year-old man charged with killing holidaying Victorian surfer Sean McKinnon has pleaded not guilty to murder in New Zealand's High Court in Hamilton.

Key points: The suspect has been granted a name suppression

The suspect has been granted a name suppression He is recovering from psychosis and still needs monitoring, his lawyer says

He is recovering from psychosis and still needs monitoring, his lawyer says The victim's fiancee survived the attack and hid in a farmhouse while alerting authorities

A trial will take place in November 2020 after the accused, whose name has been suppressed, proved mentally fit to enter a plea on Tuesday.

He will face one count of murder, threatening to kill, robbery causing grievous bodily harm and driving while disqualified.

Previous hearings had been postponed due to mental health concerns.

Mr McKinnon was shot inside the van. ( Facebook: Sean McKinnon )

The accused entered his plea through counsel Sheila Cameron, who also successfully applied for an extension of his name suppression due to his fragile mental health.

Ms Cameron told the court her client's recovery from psychosis was only recent and he still needed monitoring, according to a report from New Zealand news outlet Stuff, which also said members of McKinnon's family were in court for the appearance.

Mr McKinnon, a 33-year-old from the western Victorian surf town of Nirranda, was killed in the early hours of August 16.

He was sleeping in his campervan alongside his fiancee, Canadian midwife Bianca Buckley, when he was shot several times.

Ms Buckley fled through the bush on the outskirts of the North Island town of Raglan, seeking refuge in a farmhouse where she alerted authorities to her partner's death.

A map showing Whaanga Road, Raglan in New Zealand where an Australian man was shot dead while sleeping in a campervan. ( ABC News )

The alleged murderer was apprehended on the outskirts of Hamilton later that day, having driven the campervan for some time before abandoning it.

He has been remanded since then, and is due to appear in court in March for a callover hearing, when the suppression order will be reviewed once more.

The High Court has set aside three weeks for the trial, due to begin on November 16.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 52 seconds 52 s Sean McKinnon's sister says her family does not 'know where to begin'

AAP