When she was five years old, Barngarla woman Evelyn Walker was bundled into a car and taken from her mother.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains images and names of people who have died.
It wasn't until she was 19, after a relative recognised her mum by chance on public transport and passed on a phone number, that she saw her again.
At 40, Ms Walker is still healing from the trauma of a childhood marred by disconnection from family, country and language.
But her journey to recover her family connections and culture has resulted in a 24-page book titled Wardlada Mardinidhi, Barngarla Bush Medicines, which she hopes will help others reconnect and heal.
Ms Walker wants to start a bush medicine education program aimed at healing youth in state care or foster homes by empowering them, via culture and language, to re-establish vital bonds with country and family.
'Beautiful Aboriginal trinity'
Wardlada Mardinidhi is the third in a trilogy of books written and researched by Adelaide University language revivalist Ghil'ad Zuckermann and members of the Barngarla Richards family of Port Lincoln, which are based on the work of Lutheran minister Clamor Schurmann.
Pastor Schurmann recorded 2,000 Barngarla words and published a vocabulary and grammar dictionary in 1844, enabling the language to be revived.
Professor Zuckermann said Wardlada Mardinidhi would guide people through the "beautiful Aboriginal trinity of people, land and language".
"We had 400 different tribes in Australia and only 12 are alive and kicking languages today," he said.
Ms Walker said she had spent time on country with her cousin Jody Croft, from Whyalla, documenting the location and types of medicinal plants, and learning from elders Barry Croft and Aunty Lizzie Richards.
Four of Vera Richards's children, aged two to 10, were taken from school and their home at Mallee Park in 1967, and became part of the Stolen Generations.
'Never really felt whole'
Ms Walker's mum, Sharon Richards, escaped that terror and instead was "given" to Vera's best friend to be raised.
She said it created identity and mental health issues for her that resulted in Ms Walker being taken from her care at a young age.
"I remember mum coming out and saying, 'I thought they weren't going to take her yet' — and then she started crying and screaming for me while they took me and put me in the car," Ms Walker said.
"The next thing I knew I was on a bus to Adelaide."
She too experienced depression and identity issues while she grew up in another family.
"I never really felt whole — there was something missing," Ms Walker said.
She said generations of her family were impacted by the child removal policy.
"There's a ripple effect, even on the younger generation," Ms Walker said.
"You can see how it affects them."
One of the healing paths for the family has been connecting with nature.
'Felt renewed spiritually'
Ms Walker said she re-established ties with her mother and had a family reunion in Port Lincoln in 2005.
Having moved back home to Port Lincoln, she was able to share language and culture through the bush medicine project.
"There are thousands of native plants within our region that are a natural healing source that relieve aches, pains, headaches, and can be used as ointments when applied to stings, bites, rashes, and can assist with many other conditions," Ms Walker said.
Documenting the plants has helped her grow.
"I personally felt renewed spiritually," Ms Walker said.
"I have been on a healing mission for my own wellbeing and I have had the opportunity to take my elders and nieces out on country to learn about the plants then to make bush medicines."
Mr Zuckerman said the Barngarla were custodians of the language of the land.
"It is wonderful to see others recognising the important medicinal knowledge that the Barngarla people have had for generations," Professor Zuckermann said.
"If you take this book, you will learn about native plants in Port Lincoln in their different languages — Barngarla, Latin and English.
"You learn how to say the plant in Latin the scientific name, English and Barngarla.
"You will also learn about the traditions of the Barngarla people, of what to do with this plant."
He said Wardlada Mardinidhi was a window to "this beautiful connection to land, language and people".