For Martha Manhom, the wait at Melbourne Airport was laced with tension.
The 16-year-old was separated from her mother when she was two - after Sudan's civil war claimed her father's life and fractured the family.
Martha's mother and her siblings spent recent years in Kenya's Kakuma Refugee Camp hoping to be granted a refugee visa to Australia.
The family was elated when the visa was granted, with Martha now pondering the opportunities awaiting her siblings aged between five and 14.
"Now that they're here, they have a lot of opportunities. They have school - they can actually go to a proper school with books and all that - uniform and the school curriculum here it's better than over there," Martha said.
After arriving in Australia as an infant, Martha was raised by her uncle Sam Manhom and another family member in Melbourne.
Martha with her family at Melbourne airport. Source: SBS
Mr Manhom, also a refugee, says he's elated that the family has been reunited and that the children are now safe and free.
"The other achievement that they will have is the happiness - it's good to be together it mean happiness will be there they will care for one another."
Martha says she will now be juggling a gruelling study schedule as well as two jobs.
"I hope to be like a second mother to them like take them to places they need to be, show them around like the new system - teach them stuff take them to school, show my mum places get her used to the area," she said.
The family received refugee visas, and the six members will live in a two bedroom public housing unit in Melbourne's inner north.
The next consideration is schools, language classes and establishing a routine, but Martha says she's taking the day to reflect on the day she never thought would eventuate.
"I'm over the moon like I'm speechless I'm still processing what just happened I didn't believe it would ever happen."
