An Australian man and his two children were found dead inside their bungalow at a popular tourist area in Indonesia’s Bali, police said.

The bodies of Damien John Shaw, 56, his six-year-old son, and four-year-old daughter were found inside their home in the resort town of Kuta on Sunday morning, Bali provincial police said.

Police said they arrived at the scene after neighbours went to check in on the family following a call from Shaw’s wife, who had recently arrived in the capital Jakarta.

The wife told the neighbour to check in on her children after she heard her child cry while she was on the phone with her husband, police said.

She told the neighbour that her call got disconnected and Shaw became unreachable.

The neighbour then reached the bungalow along with other neighbours and a community head who discovered the three bodies.

Police were treating the case as a suspected murder-suicide, according to reports, as further examinations were being carried out.

“Kuta Police have spoken with the victim’s wife, but progress was limited as she remains in deep shock and grief,” Denpasar city police official I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya said.

“Kuta police are continuing their investigation, including forensic processing of the crime scene, reviewing CCTV footage from inside and outside the property, and interviewing witnesses.”

The bodies were taken to Sanglah Hospital for further examination.

Police said the family had leased the bungalow in Kuta since 2022. Shaw was born in Fremantle, in western Australia, Bali provincial police said.

Western Australia premier Roger Cook called it a “horrific situation”.

“We know there is a very confronting situation there,” he said.

“This is a very sad situation; our hearts go out to everyone involved. We hope we can get to the bottom of what’s gone on as soon as possible.”

The Australian consulate has also been contacted.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it was providing consular support to the family and sent their “deepest condolences”.

“Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment”.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.