Operation Bring Them Home will conclude in the coming weeks when the final remains of the victims, who have now been identified by Dutch authorities, are reunited with their families.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in a joint statement on Saturday the victims of the tragedy have finally been accorded the dignity and respect they deserve.
The successful recovery, identification and repatriation of the victims has been a painstaking and meticulous process,' the statement said.
'It has been a tremendously difficult period for the families and for all Australians.
'After such a long wait, we can now be assured that the Australian victims have been accorded the dignity and respect they deserve.'
The Australian and Dutch governments continue to press for full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2166, adopted in July to support an independent investigation into the disaster.
The Dutch Safety Board and the Dutch Public Prosecution Service are also investigating.
MH17 went down in July in rebellion-torn eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 aboard, including the 38 Australians. It was believed to have been hit by a surface-to-air missile.
In November the international investigation into the downing of MH17 was extended by nine months, after Dutch-led efforts to find out who shot down the passenger plane were hampered by the ongoing civil war and Russian intransigence.
Investigators now have until August 2015 to determine what happened, under a deal struck between Australia, the Netherlands, Ukraine and other nations.
