'That's 19 months of my life that I will never get back': relief and anger for six duped drug mules freed by Hong Kong judge

They are mothers, fathers, grandparents. Some are working professionals while others are retired. All are divorced, single or widowed.

It's a mixed bag of personalities, but today they all have one thing in common: their freedom.

For the two Australians who faced up to 26 years in a Hong Kong jail for drug trafficking, the nine-hour flight home to freedom is now a reality.

"You still get the feeling in your stomach that it's not real," Melbourne resident Jorg Ulitzka, who turned 80 last week, said last night.

As he celebrated his freedom - along with the five other defendants who were acquitted - with a glass of champagne, he breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"It's a ton of weight off my shoulders," the German-born Australian resident said.

Of the six released yesterday, Ulitzka, a retired draughtsman, was the oldest.