Moyne Shire Council youth development officer Geraldine Edar-Ralph, who was born in the Philippines, said the pair were Jerome Mark Pellazar, 35, and Amando Isig.

Both worked on the Alanvale dairy farm between Macarthur and Willatook.

Read more: Tragic end to selfless act

Ms Edar-Ralph said Mr Pellazar has a wife, Myla, and two young children, who lived with him. He also has a brother who works on the Alanvale dairy farm.

Ms Edar-Ralph said Mr Isig did not have a partner with him in Australia.

She said their deaths were particularly tragic because the two had been killed trying to make the road safe for others.

“They were just trying to do the right thing,” she said.

Both had arrived this year from New Zealand where they had worked on dairy farms and were hoping to stay permanently in Australia.

She understood the bodies of both men were to be flown back to the Philippines. A Mass was expected to be held for them in Warrnambool on Wednesday, Ms Edar-Ralph said.

The two were part of the small close-knit group of Philippines-born people working on local dairy farms, she said.

Mr Pellazar’s wife worked at Midfield meatworks in Warrnambool, Ms Edar-Ralph said.

News of the deaths spread quickly among Mr Pellazar’s family and friends on Facebook and dozens of condolences were posted on his brother’s Facebook page from local people and others in the Philippines.

Ms Edar-Ralph said the local Filipino community had gathered together over the weekend to help Mr Pellazar’s family.

The name of other man killed in the crash has not been released but police said he was a 58-year-old man from Heywood.

ehimmelreich@fairfaxmedia.com.au