Russian born Ludmila Kovaleva never anticipated she'd be tending camels in tropical Broome.
Her daily rounds on the camel farm and taking tours along Cable Beach are a safe routine in the face of uncertainty about her future and possible deportation.
"I feel really safe in Australia — it's far away from Russia," Ms Kovaleva, who has just weeks left on a temporary bridging visa, said.
When she lived in Moscow her then husband Nicholas Stride was a contractor for former deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov, one of the most powerful men in Russia.
The couple and their two children fled in 2010 fearing for their lives after exposing corruption within Russian government ranks.
"They won't forgive, they don't forget, they will take revenge," she said.
The family hid in the Kimberley, living off grid, while seeking political asylum.
"It's been really stressful, I can't sleep, I see nightmares," Ms Kovaleva said.
"It absolutely terrifies me about being deported to Russia, they will arrest me ... they will make me disappear."
Their application was rejected in February 2012, just a month before changes to the Migration Act would have given them an immediate protection visa.
Lawyer says protection case strong
Her solicitor Simon Jeans, a specialist migration lawyer, said Ms Kovaleva had a compelling case for protection.
"I'd have to say there's an absolute certainty that she would be killed if she went back to Russia, because she was involved in exposing corruption at the highest levels of the Russian government," Mr Jeans said.
"You've got her decade of residing in Australia. She hasn't just sat at home and done nothing.
He said Ms Kovaleva had been helping as a volunteer in Aboriginal communities before working in the tourism industry.
"She's incredibly resilient and the sort of migrant we want in Australia," Mr Jeans said.
Ms Kovaleva said the stress of living in limbo led to a divorce.
She said her family split up to seek refuge in several other countries while she stayed in Broome.
She said intervention from Immigration Minister Andrew Giles was one of her last chances to not be deported.
Mr Giles's office said he would not comment due to privacy reasons.
"Help me," Ms Kovaleva said of Mr Giles.
"Please let me stay in Australia — I don't want to be killed, I don't to go to prison, I did nothing wrong."
Mr Jeans, who deals with dozens of complex migration cases, said the case should have been resolved a decade ago.
"If any minister had seen this case they would have either allowed her to reapply for a protection visa or simply granted her a permanent visa," Mr Jeans said.
