AT 14, Galina Karciauskas was the youngest of the first group of 800 displaced people who came to Bonegilla in late 1947.
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Galina, along with her older sister Irina, exemplified what the newspapers would soon refer to as "beautiful Balts".
Although her identity papers marked her as Latvian, she was in reality Russian-born Galina Vidritskaya, who in late 1941 had fled German forces at the siege of Leningrad with her parents and younger sisters.
Within a year, the family was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Salaspils Police Prison, which was an unofficial concentration camp near Riga in Latvia.
Galina survived but was separated from her beloved family.
Believing Galina's parents were dead, a monastery teacher from Riga, Irina Vasins helped arrange for her own parents to adopt Galina.
In 1944, Irina, 27, and Galina, 11, became sisters, forming a life-long bond.
The Vasins fled Riga, finding refuge in a Displaced Persons Camp in US-occupied Germany and then migration to Australia.
The sisters were soon employed at Bonegilla Migrant Reception Centre, filling their spare time by making themselves fashionable clothing.
After almost two years, Galina's adoptive parents Alexei and Maria Vasins migrated to Melbourne, and Irina and Galina joined them.
Galina soon married Lithuanian migrant Vytas Karciauskas, with whom she had six children.
For years, Galina's children knew nothing of her life before coming to Australia.
When Russia opened up to the West in the early 1990s, Galina was able to reunite with her three sisters after more than 40 years of separation.
Galina's Border-based daughter Rebekah Brook said her mother had only fond memories of Bonegilla.
"She spoke a lot about Bonegilla but never about her life before then," she said.
"She loved her time at Bonegilla, I mean the weather was cold and the food was different but she appreciated it and had no complaints."
Ms Brook said her mother talked about swimming in the weir and going to dances.
The newest static display at Bonegilla Migrant Experience features the remarkable story of Galina, now 88.
The life station has gone up just in time for this weekend's Discover Bonegilla reunion. The site is open 9am to 4pm.
