Strewth! Home And Away is more than three decades old!
It is, in reality, Australia’s second-longest-running drama series. The performance has elicited both laughter and tears, and it has ushered in the careers of performers and actresses who have gone on to become Hollywood’s biggest stars.
To celebrate three decades of drama-packed television, we look back at the show’s most memorable moments.
The pilot episode (1988)
Channel Seven premieres a new drama set in the beachside village of Summer Bay on January 17, 1988. The Fletcher family is introduced in this feature-length premiere episode. After being laid off from his city work, Tom Fletcher (Roger Oakley) and his wife Pippa (Vanessa Downing, both inset right) relocate to the Bay with their five foster children: Frank (Alex Papps), Lynn (Helena Bozich), Sally (Kate Ritchie), Steven (Adam Willits), and Carly (inset right, from left) (Sharyn Hodgson).
Bobby dies in a boat accident (1993)
Bobby goes on a speedboat trip with Luke (John Adam) and Adam (Mat Stevenson) when their vessel collides with a log in the sea. Bobby is left brain-dead after they’re flung off the ship. Before her life support is switched off, her loved ones say their goodbyes, including her father Donald (Norman Coburn), husband Greg (Ross Newton), and son Sam (Ryan Clark). When Ailsa (Judy Nunn) has a hallucination, Bobby appears as a ghost, transforming out of a fridge.
Shane’s shock death (1996)
Shane (Dieter Brummer) and Angel (Melissa George) are celebrating their first wedding anniversary with their son, Dylan (Corey Glaister), at a local viewpoint when Shane becomes ill. He says, “I think you’d better get a doctor,” before passing out. While they wait for an ambulance, a terrified Angel tries to revive him. Shane has been pronounced deceased at the hospital. A cut on his finger had caused him to get septicemia.
The big flood (1996)
When a huge storm hits Summer Bay, tragedy occurs. Michael (Dennis Coard) leaps in to save Sam as he falls into a flooded river. While Sam is rescued, Michael has swept away and his body is not discovered for several days. But it’s not all terrible news. Angel goes into labor, but due to the heavy weather, she is unable to travel to the hospital. She is guided to Pippa’s (Debra Lawrance) residence by a strange motorbike rider, where she gives birth to a baby girl. Shane is Angel’s daughter, named after her late spouse. The roaring floodwaters sweep Michael away.
Ailsa’s deadly heart attack (2000)
When the owner of the Diner experiences a major heart attack while lifting big boxes, she dies. Ailsa dies after 13 years by Alf’s (Ray Meagher) side. Duncan (Brendan McKensy), Alf’s teenage son, is devastated. Ailsa was reunited with Shauna (Kylie Watson), the daughter she had given up for adoption, not long before she died. Alf, Duncan, Shauna, and foster son Mitch (Cameron Welsh) sprinkle Ailsa’s ashes in the water in a poignant scene.
Favourites fight for life in a mudslide (2000)
Olympic Games cliffhanger episodes are a staple of H&A. And the cliffhanger from the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games remains a fan favorite. A landslide at Summer Bay traps Ailsa, Shauna, Duncan, and Jade (Kate Garven) within the ruined Stewart house due to heavy rain. After the Olympics, journalist Gavin (Kim De Lury) puts his life on the line to rescue theirs – but he loses his own.
Leah and Vinnie’s big fat Greek wedding (2001)
Vinnie (Ryan Kwanten), a larrikin lifeguard and part-time stripper, appeared to be the least likely lad in Summer Bay to settle down. That is, until Ada Nicodemou’s lovely Leah arrived in town. The couple’s big day, which combines Leah’s Greek ancestry with Vinnie’s Scottish history, is one of H&A’s most colorful and spectacular weddings. Despite a lot of interference from their domineering families in the run-up to the wedding, Leah and Vinnie’s big day goes off without a hitch.
Dani goes to jail (2003)
Dani’s life in Summer Bay isn’t exactly fair (Tammin Sursok). Kane, who subsequently gets romantically connected with Dani’s younger sister Kirsty, raps the schoolgirl. Dani then smashes Kane with her car while out driving late one night. It’s an accident, but she’s having trouble persuading the court that it wasn’t an act of vengeance. The unstable adolescent was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to prison.
Birth of Pippa Saunders (2004)
Sally is infertile after ovarian cancer, so her bestie Leah volunteers to be her surrogate. When Sally’s husband, Flynn (Joel McIlroy), develops affections for Leah and kisses her, the pregnancy causes turmoil. Sally and Flynn, on the other hand, are able to get their marriage back on track. When baby Pippa is born, they are overjoyed, though Leah finds it impossible not to bond with her.
Deadly Summer Bay siege (2004)
After escaping from a psychiatric facility, insane killer Sarah Lewis (Luisa Hastings Edge) heads straight for Summer Bay, where she’d previously inflicted havoc. Sarah takes a fearful group of people captive at Leah’s house, determined to exact vengeance. Dani rushes to catch up to her, police in tow. Dani, on the other hand, is too late, and three shots are fired. When viewers learn that Noah is no longer alive, they are stunned.
Noah and Hayley’s wedding (2004)
Hayley (Bec Hewitt) is not alone as she walks down the aisle to marry Noah (Beau Brady). Ken (Anthony Phelan), her deceased father, appears to give his daughter away. When Hayley and her ghost father arrive at Noah’s house, the couple exchanges tearful vows. They then make the day even more special by sharing the reception with Kirsty (Christie Hayes) and Kane (Sam Atwell).
Milco revealed as Sally’s long-lost twin brother (2007)
For 20 years, everyone assumed Milco was Sally’s imaginary companion from childhood. As a result, spectators are taken aback when a homeless drifter appears on the beach and cryptically writes “Milco” in the sand. He turns out to be Sally’s long-lost twin brother, Miles (Josh Quong Tart). Miles is a teacher whose life was turned upside down when his wife and daughter were killed in Thailand’s Boxing Day tsunami. He decides to change his life after reuniting with Sally.
Aden and belle’s Wedding (2009)
When terminally ill Belle (Jessica Tovey) marries Aden, there isn’t a dry eye in the house (Todd Lasance). Belle tries to hide her cancer from her fiancé in order for them to have a joyous wedding. Aden, on the other hand, finds out the night before and is so distraught that he almost calls off the wedding. Aden keeps Belle waiting until the last possible moment. He eventually concludes that there’s nothing he’d rather do than see his true love enjoy her final days as a married couple.
Sally is stabbed (2006)
Sally, a Summer Bay favorite, regrets letting student Rocco (Ian Meadows) into her life after he stabs her. The disturbed adolescent is a former gang member who is obliged to assist his brother Johnny (Callan Mulvey) in his drug dealing and robberies. Rocco informs the cops about Johnny’s planned robbery. In response, Johnny threatens Rocco with death unless he kills Sally. Outside the high school, Rocco apologizes tearfully as he violently knifes Sally.
Sally and Flynn’s disastrous wedding day (2003)
When Sally marries Flynn, everything that may go wrong does (Joe McIlroy). The bride is supposed to come in a horse-drawn carriage, but Sally and her maid-of-honor Leah are forced to leap to safety due to a runaway horse. They’re unharmed, but Sally’s outfit is ruined by the muck. There’s a tremendous downpour when she eventually arrives at the ceremony, looking a little worse for wear! Later, Sally and Flynn say “I do” in a hospital waiting for an area while wearing bathrobes.
Charlie is shot and dies in hospital (2012)
It’s still one of the most moving scenes the show has ever aired. As retaliation for her shooting his brother, police officer Charlie (Esther Anderson) is shot twice by bad guy Jake Pirovic. She survives, but she is severely injured. Charlie is kept alive by a ventilator after undergoing surgery in the hospital. Ruby (Rebecca Breeds) and her partner Brax make the difficult decision to remove her life support.
Summer bay stalker (2005)
It’s a mystery that’s engulfed the country for months, with people wondering who the Summer Bay stalker is. The stalker is revealed to be Nurse Eve (Emily Perry), who is posing as cheery newcomer Zoe McCallister. She wants vengeance for the death of Sarah Lewis, a former patient, and friend. The stalker terrorizes the community by setting fire to a house, orchestrating an aircraft crash, and kidnapping Sally. At Martha’s (Jodi Anasta) and Jack’s (Paul O’Brien) wedding reception, Eve is killed by an explosion.
Archie’s dramatic arrival (2007)
When Kit (Amy Mizzi) goes into labor on the side of the road, Kim (Chris Hemsworth) is forced to deliver his own baby, proving he’s as handy as he is attractive. The lifeguard is adamant about being there for his child. However, they get run off the road by a speeding automobile on their way to the hospital and end up with a flat tire! Kim encourages Kit as she struggles through labor-intense periods. She gives birth to a son in the end. Archie is his name.
Martha’s pole dance (2007)
Because of the show’s image as a family-friendly show, this is one of the most contentious moments in its history. Cam (Ashley Lyons), a shady bar owner, wants Martha to work at his establishment. He also asks her to cover for one of his pole dancers. Martha takes the stage, only to be discovered at a bucks’ party by her family.
Bianca punches Heath at their wedding (2013)
The big day for Heath (Dan Ewing) and Bianca (Lisa Gormley) has finally arrived. Heath is a nervous wreck as he waits for his wife at the altar. The groom’s anxiousness, on the other hand, has nothing to do with cold feet. After cheating on Bianca with a waitress during his wild bucks’ weekend, he’s feeling bad. Heath confesses everything to his soon-to-be bride during a calmer period during the ceremony. As a result, an enraged Bianca punches her fiancé in the face and exits the wedding.
Ailsa’s ghost visits (2003)
When Alf sees visions of his late wife Ailsa, he believes she has risen from the dead. Alf finds discovered to be suffering from a brain tumor. However, he is hesitant to get it removed because he would no longer be able to see Ailsa. He finally gets the procedure. Ailsa shows Alf what Summer Bay would look like if he wasn’t there during surgery. Alf survives, determined to prevent Ailsa’s vision from becoming a reality.
Angel walks down the aisle (1995)
Shane and Angel, high school sweethearts, are madly in love and planning their wedding until calamity strikes. Angel is paralyzed after being hit by Alf’s automobile while crossing the street. Shane considers postponing the wedding, but Angel is adamant about going ahead with her plans. Angel surprises everyone in the church on their wedding day when she rises from her wheelchair and walks down the aisle to marry Shane, albeit shakily. Aww!
Roo loses Harvey at sea (2013)
When Harvey (Marcus Graham) and his companion Winston (John Batchelor) go sailing, the last thing Roo (Georgie Parker) expects is for her husband to die. But that’s what happens when Harvey goes missing after falling overboard. Roo believes Harvey is dead and fears the worse. She even holds a service in his honor. Harvey later reappears alive, but his life has been altered by the ordeal, and he finally leaves town.
Casey Sharpe Braxton is born (2015)
In the Bay Area, births are usually a huge thing. And the birth of baby Casey is significant, perhaps because he is the offspring of super couple Brax and Ricky (Bonnie Sveen). Ricky is driven to the hospital by his neighbor John (Shane Withington). Ricky takes the baby to visit his father, Brax, in jail, a week later. They decide to call him Casey after Brax’s brother, who died the night Ricky found out she was pregnant, in a sad scene. Please provide tissues.
Double death in caravan park explosion (2016)
When a gas explosion sweeps through the trailer park, a hospital fundraiser turns into a disaster. In the midst of the rain and mud, rookie doctor Tori (Penny McNamee) discovers Oscar (Jake Speer) is dead on the scene. Evie (Philippa Northeast) is heartbroken by the death of her twin. Hannah (Cassie Howarth), her injured aunt, subsequently dies in hospital from a brain injury, dealing her a double blow.
The Braxtons arrive (2011)
When three sexy bad boys arrive in Summer Bay, fans are whipped into a frenzy. The River Boys surfie gang from Mangrove River is made up of brothers Darryl (aka Brax), Heath, and Casey Braxton. They bring with them a lot of trouble (they get into a brawl on the first day) and heartbreak when they arrive in town. All three will go on to have significant relationships with Bay ladies.
Who shot Charlotte? (2015-2016)
From the minute Charlotte King (Erika Heynatz) arrives in the Bay, she makes a slew of enemies. There are lots of locals with agendas when she is shot at the pier in the 2015 finale cliffhanger. When the show returns in 2016, the plot becomes a traditional whodunnit mystery. Irene (Lynne McGranger), who had a drunken confrontation with Charlotte that night, is also on the suspect list. After several months of twists and turns, the killer is ultimately identified as troubled adolescent Josh.
Meg dies on the beach (1992)
When Meg (Cathy Godbold) moves to the Bay, she begins dating Blake, a local heartthrob (Les Hill). She eventually announces that she has leukemia and only has a few months to live. Blake, on the other hand, is unable to resist falling in love with Meg. As the sun rises, the teenager spends her final moments on the beach in Blake’s arms.
Casey tragically shot dead (2014)
While attempting to save his kidnapped half-brother Josh, the youngest Braxton brother gets shot by villain Jake Pirovic (Fletcher Humphrys) (Jackson Gallagher). The dying moments of much-loved Casey (Lincoln Younes) are so heartbreaking that you can practically hear hearts breaking across the country as he dies in Brax’s (Stephen Peacocke) embrace. Sob!
Mason dies a hero (2019)
Mason’s departure was painful and unselfish, as befitting a hero. A deadly gang had taken over the hospital in a terrifying siege in the 2019 season finale. One of the gang’s gunmen snapped when he – along with Alex, Jasmine, Mackenzie, and Marilyn – stood up to them. Mason was killed by a bullet.
Witness X is revealed (2020)
Detective Angelo Rosetta (Luke Jacobz) came to Summer Bay with a mission in mind: to uncover the person responsible for Ross’s death.
Colby’s (Tim Franklin) dark secret, which had been kept hidden for a long time, was immediately jeopardized. It was all over for the cop when Witness X stepped forward with the testimony Angelo required.
He and I had no idea, though, that it would be Willow (Sarah Roberts) who would betray him.
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