Australia's government said on Sunday that five members of the "Bali Nine" drug ring have returned from Indonesia, after diplomatic efforts between the countries this month to strike a repatriation deal.

"The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

The men were among nine people arrested in 2005 trying to smuggle more than 8 kg (17.64 lb) of heroin out of the Indonesian resort island of Bali.