Episode list

With the destruction of the fire now just a memory, the community of Wandin Valley is busy rebuilding. Construction on the new Community Health Centre nears completion as Dr. Harry Morrison awaits the return of his wife Kate from China. He is shocked however to receive a letter from Kate indicating that not only will she not be returning, she plans to file for a divorce as well. As Harry struggles to come to terms with this news he diagnoses Elizabeth Kelly, a bride-to-be and friend of Kate's, with a heart murmur and oversees her treatment, going so far as to travel with her to Melbourne to assist in her operation. Meanwhile Elizabeth's fiancé, Jimmy O'Neil, remains in the valley struggling with his agoraphobia. He manages to leave their house but must seek refuge in a phone box after a panic attack. He is picked up and taken to the health centre by Senior Constable Danny Sabatini, Wandin Valley's new police officer, who upon first arriving in the valley, promptly had his foot run over by Bev's taxi. At the health centre Maggie Sloan convinces Jimmy to let her go with him to Melbourne so that he may be with Elizabeth, allowing them to be married on Valentine's Day as they had planned. Park Ranger Ian McIntyre's hopes for a quiet Valentine's dinner with his roommate Claire Bonacci go awry when she becomes attached to the piglet he was planning to have prepared for dinner. His final hope for winning the heart of Claire rests in the powers of Esme's famous sticky chocolate pudding but when Claire rents Constable Sabatini their extra room, three becomes a crowd, and Esme's pudding works it's magic on the wrong couple.

A longstanding feud between the two sides of the Vlahos family resurfaces on a bridge on the outskirts of Wandin Valley. Adding to the troubles is Claire, who has hired their rival businesses to finish renovations on the clinic. Troubles arise when Kosta reads his younger sister's fantasy-filled diary in which the subject of her writings is Peter Vlahos, a member of other side of the family. Jumping to conclusions, Kosta attacks Peter and retaliation soon follows bringing Danny into the midst of the feud. Fed up with Danny's slow response to what Esme believes to be a bomb in a suitcase at the health centre, Harry takes the initiative and opens the case only to be greeted by the teeth of a baby crocodile. Ian takes the croc, now named Maggie, back to Willow Tree and while waiting to find it a home, he creates a lush tropical habitat in his bathroom for it. With her family making plans to send her out of state, Aleki prepares a love potion which she slips into Peter's drink. Unfortunately, he comes down with food poisoning as a result and has to be pulled from the public swimming pool by Aleki's brother. While he's in hospital, Aleki tells Peter what she has done and tells him how she feels about him. At the official opening of the Community Heath Clinic, Aleki and Peter make public their feelings for one other, pacifying the feud between their two families-or so it would seem.

After knocking over a woman in the airport with his golf bag, Harry joins her in the airport lounge as they wait for their flights, allowing them to get to know one another over a few drinks. She tells Harry how she too has just been dumped and Harry allows her to leave under the impression that he is a professional golfer. An exhausted Harry returns to Wandin Valley, and after a terse encounter with Matron Sloan, she asks him to be a "big brother" to her step-daughter, Jess Morrison, who will be arriving in town shortly to begin her practice as the town's new vet. Jess arrives at what is to be her clinic only to learn that she must share it with Ian McIntyre and the Park Ranger's office (the town is short on space since the fire). Jess's first job has her working with Mr. Kelly, Kate's old horse, leading to an awkward reunion with Harry as she was the woman Harry met in the airport. Mr. Kelly is found to have a carcinoma and later, at a dinner arranged by Maggie to welcome Jess to the Valley, Harry suggests euthanasia as an option. Jess attacks him on this, suggesting that he would put down the horse just to get back at Kate for leaving him. When Maggie confronts Jess about her rude behaviour, Jess tells her that she'll tolerate her as she is her stepmother, but that she shouldn't expect anything more between them.

On a routine trip into the nation park, Ian discovers evidence that a dog fighting ring may be in the area, and when Kane disappears, finding the group takes on a greater urgency for the Park Ranger. Meanwhile, Dennis Chubb, himself an owner of an aggressive dog, is approached by Max Riley, the organiser of the dog fights, who wants to recruit Dennis's dog. Max's assurances that no harm will come to the dogs involved, and a large sum of money, prove too great a temptation for Dennis who reluctantly gets involved with the illegal fights.

Claire tracks down Gary, a young father who left a frantic message on the health centre's answering machine. He tells her he is raising his son on his own after the child's mother walked out on them. Claire decides to let him stay at Willow Tree until better arrangements can be made. Soon after, Danny receives a missing persons report on the boy and his son. Danny picks up the Shelly, the child's mother, and brings her to Willow Tree to reunite her with her child. In the midst of an argument between the young couple, Shelly tells Gary that he is not the child's father. Upset by the startling news, Gary gets in his car and drives away. Danny tracks down the "beast" that has been terrorising an elderly gentleman, causing him to break into homes-for his own safety so he tells Danny. The "beast" as it turns out is an escaped Shetland pony owned by a former circus performer. Strange noises coming from the roof of Willow Tree prove to be caused, not by possums, but by Gary. He has come back and has been hiding in the attic at Willow Tree. After he is discovered, Gary and Shelly sort out their problems and get back together. Danny even finds them free accommodations in the apartment above the local funeral parlour-the same apartment that Ian was hoping that Danny would take.

Danny's worst fear has been realised-his mother is coming to visit. Her quick arrival at Willow Tree is uneventful however as she doesn't have a problem with her son living with Claire, she does however ask him to move back to the city. Danny tells her he won't be moving back, nor will he leave the police service, which is what he believe she really wants.

Jess must call in the Department of Agriculture when she suspects Steve Atkinson's cows have contracted foot-and-mouth disease. Mr. Atkinson threatens to file a lawsuit against Jess after she implies in a television interview that he carried the disease back from overseas. Jess is heartbroken at the prospect of having to put down Brenda as a result of the outbreak. Brenda is the one and only cow owned by Stan and Ida Potter, an elderly couple living next door to Atkinson. Brenda is their pride and joy, their "reason for getting up in the morning" as Jess explains. Esme, believing the Potters to be spreading the disease unknowingly, comes down hard on the couple for endangering the entire community. The Department of Agriculture eventually finds that the cattle do not have foot-and-mouth disease but when Jess tells the Potters that the test results are negative, the couple misinterpret the news and nearly put down their beloved Brenda but fortunately Jess intervenes in the nick of time.

The Norman brothers have brought their travelling "inspirational show" to Wandin Valley. After seeing their performance at the club however, Maggie Sloan believes that Luke Norman is "parading his brother's disability for profit." Matt Norman has cerebral palsy and sings about his experiences in the show alongside his brother. Esme on the other hand is quick to pick up on their inspirational message, going so far as to stop taking her medication to pursue alternative therapies. Meanwhile, Luke Norman has taken in interest in Claire, and she in return invites him to Willow Tree for tea.

It's the evening of the Rotary Club dinner and Harry has been chosen as the keynote speaker. Unfortunately a few too many pre-speech drinks result in a rather unpleasant scene for all involved. As Harry crawls into work the next morning late, Matron Sloan is on hand to let him know what a disgrace he was the night before-not just to himself but to the entire medical community. As his patients desert him in favour of Claire, and Maggie continues to hound him about the previous night, comparing his continually degrading performance and appearance to the high standards set by Terence Elliott, Harry begins to wonder if the community needs him at all anymore and considers selling his practice. Ian and Claire discover a series of toxic waste dumps in the national park and Ian vows to catch whoever is responsible. Upon hearing that a young boy has been diagnosed with a chemical rash, and that his father, Daryl Perry, works as a freelance truck driver, Ian confronts Daryl at his home where the pair get into a fight.

As the Mid-Winter Feast draws closer, the single population of Wandin Valley are looking for dates. After Jess's failed attempt to ask Harry, Matron Sloan provides Claire the opening she needs to nab Harry for the event herself.

While introducing Danny to the game of golf, Harry is called away in response to an emergency call from a motel. Arriving at the scene, Harry finds Bob Lalor has suffered a heart attack, but the real shock comes when the motel's manager informs Harry that Bob checked in with another man. Harry tries to keep Bob's secret to himself but soon learns that Sharon Lalor not only knew about her husband's homosexuality but accepted it with the understanding that Bob wouldn't do anything do jeopardise their family. Harry hopes Bob and Sharon will tell their son Jeremy about his father but neither wants to their son to know. Unfortunately, gossip travels fast in Wandin Valley, and Jeremy soon learns the truth about his father from a friend when the two get into an argument. Danny takes Jeremy to see Harry after his half-hearted attempt to run away. Jeremy is upset at being kept in the dark and rejects his father. When Bob's condition worsens, Harry gets Jeremy to come to terms with his anger and takes Jeremy to see his father in the hospital.

Ian comes to the assistance of Marea Davis, a pregnant woman who is passing through town. She is without money and a place to stay so Ian brings her to Willow Tree. When he takes her into the national park for the day, she goes into labour and Ian must deliver the baby himself. Marea tells everybody that her husband died recently and that she is on her way to the Gold Coast to settle down. However when Marea's sister Jacqueline arrives looking for Marea, the truth is revealed: Marea was acting as a surrogate mother for her sister and brother-in-law (it was Jacqueline's husband who died) but she decided to keep the child herself. Marea is adamant that Jacqueline not have the baby nor is she willing to even let her sister see the baby. Ian tells Marea that although she won't have to give up the baby, she should allow Jacqueline to see the baby and should try to mend their relationship as they now only have each other. The two sisters make their peace and Marea even names her son after Ian.

Matron Sloan arrives at work (on her bicycle) to find the CHC has been broken into during the night. Harry meets Wally, a mysterious man who has arrived in the valley in search of a dialysis machine. Wally finds one at the home of Peg Reynolds. Wally says used to live in the area and that he knows Peg, but neither she nor anyone else knows who the man is. Wally eventually comes clean and tells Harry that he escaped from prison so that he could see his aunt Vera one last time before she dies. Harry sympathises with Wally and drives him to Burrigan so that he may see her. When Maggie informs Danny about Wally, he rushes off to Burrigan to apprehend Wally but when he arrives Wally is nowhere to be found. Wally is eventually located on his old family farm. His real reason for visiting Vera was to learn the location of the jewels his father had stolen many years ago. Wally was hoping to recover the gems in order to purchase a new kidney on the black market oversees. As Danny has Harry digging to recover the evidence, Wally's brother arrives and dispels the old family myth about the gems-he does however offer to donate one of his own kidneys to his brother.

While driving Janey Brown to the Burrigan hospital for some routine tests, Esme runs off the road. Although it's a minor accident, Janey dies at the scene. Investigating the accident, Danny discovers Esme's driver's license had expired ten days earlier and he immediately suspends her license pending a driving test to prove her competence on the road. Despite autopsy results which reveal Janey died of a ruptured brain aneurysm clearing her of any wrongdoing, Esme still feels responsible and has reservations about ever driving again. Matters seem to be resolved until Maggie discovers Janey's 14-year-old son whom no one knew even existed. Like his mother, Sean Brown is developmentally impaired and has a difficult time comprehending his mother's death and Esme stays with the boy as he comes to terms with her sudden death. After overcoming her guilt, Esme takes the driving test and passes easily. Sean meanwhile has progressed rapidly and is placed with a foster family. Danny initiates a "coffee-with-a-constable" programme hoping to improve police relations with the community. Jess and Danny's relationship is jeopardised when they have difficulty finding any common interests.

Danny comes under scrutiny for his rough handling of four young men who were causing a disturbance at the club. He is accused of overreacting to the situation and of assaulting one of the intoxicated youth. Killer Burke suspends Danny from work and the town's rumour mill quickly goes into high gear after a psychologist stops by the station to see him. Dr. Collas is the psychologist Danny had been seeing for an incident earlier in his career, her coincidental appearance in the district for a conference and the incident at the club forces Danny to confront his past as he recounts to Ian and Claire a similar incident that occurred a year prior which ended with him getting shot and his partner being killed. Danny's inability to talk to Jess about the events in his life causes strain in their relationship resulting in Jess deciding to call it quits. David Draper, Jess's ex-fiance?, (he left her just prior to her moving to Wandin Valley) calls her up out of the blue to say he'd be willing to give her another chance. Jess calls him back to tell him she wants nothing to do with him ever again. Danny rescues a koala that Georgie finds clinging to a branch in the creek. Ian brings the marsupial to stay at Willow Tree until it can be released.

Ian's brother flies in for a visit. Ian is excited at the prospect of working with his brother to fix up the family farm but Robbie's intentions are quite different, he wants to sell the farm to finance an ultralight aircraft business. Ian is furious at the thought of selling the farm, which has been in their family for seventy years, and offers to buy out his brother. Robbie balks at Ian's offer and puts the farm on the market. When Robbie fails to arrive in Burrigan for a business meeting, it is assumed he crashed his ultralight in the national park and a search effort is mounted. However when Claire returns to Willow Tree, she finds Robbie relaxing on the sofa. Robbie tells Ian that he diverted to another local farm on his way to Burrigan and found a better business deal working for a tour outfit in Darwin. Robbie's new job will allow Ian to keep the farm and Robbie accepts Ian's buy out offer. As Harry's own divorce is being finalised, he advises Paddy Courtney to rise up out of the marijuana haze he's been living in at the bottom of his rowboat if he hopes to save his marriage. Harry cuts the final strings to his failed marriage as he puts Eden up for sale. Georgie is busy taking photographs to finish off a role of film, she's convinced she saw a UFO and is anxious to have the film developed. Harry is quick to dismiss her story but when the pictures come back.

Peter Hayman is a recently widowed plumber who has been out of work for the past six months as a result of a prolapsed disk in his lower back. Claire takes an interest in Peter's young son Josh who has been coming into the health centre to see her. Noticing Josh's many injuries, Claire thinks that his father may be abusing him. After getting to know the boy and his father, Claire confronts Peter with her suspicions. Her accusations are proven to be incorrect but when Josh is hospitalised after a fall, he reveals to Claire that the only time his father spends time with him is after one of his accidents. Upset by the idea that he is pushing his son away, Peter concludes that he cannot properly raise his son and decides to send him to live with his aunt. Harry diagnoses Peter with a disease that is responsible for his recent irritable behaviour, and after Claire talks to Peter, he decides to keep his son.

On the eve of the Burrigan Cup, Lachlan Morrison returns to Wandin Valley from Hong Kong. He claims his globe-trotting days are over and is back for good and while Maggie is thrilled at her husband's return, she is somewhat skeptical about his plans to retire. Jess seems ambivalent about her father's return, and in a conversation with Claire, claims that that she may actually hate her father. While at the Burrigan racetrack, Lachie has an angina attack and is taken to hospital. Jess visits her father and the two begin to talk about their strained relationship. Lachie asks Jess to place a bet on the race for him, and in a rare display, Jess asks for Maggie's help in fulfilling her father's request. Watching the race proves to be too much of a strain on Lachie however, and in the midst of the excitement he has a heart attack and dies. Afterwards, Jess reveals to Maggie why she has been so cold towards her: while Jess's mother was dying, Jess was kept away at boarding school unable to see her, and later returned home to discover her father had since married Maggie without even telling her. Unable to forgive her father, and unable to take her pain out on him since he was always away, Jess subsequently turned her anger towards Maggie. Jess and Maggie become closer but still realise they will never be as close to one another as they could be-they're too alike. With the funeral over, Jess and Maggie spread Lachie's ashes over the racetrack. An undefrosted freezer, a tacky charity wishing well, and a crow-pecked coin mark Ian's journey from bad luck to good, and eventually to a new-found assertiveness. A jockey goes on a jellybean bender after his horse is scratched from the Burrigan Cup.

Harry and Jess get bogged while giving Cynthia Tucker and her goat a ride home. After exiting Harry's vehicle to plan their next move, they watch as Graham Irving crashes his airplane nearby. Rushing to the scene of the accident, Harry stays with Graham while Jess and Cynthia go for help. When Cynthia casually mentions to Jess that Graham is a diabetic, Jess rushes back to inform Harry. Unfortunately Maggie had borrowed Harry's glucometer and without it Harry is unwilling to gamble on treatment. As Graham's condition deteriorates, Jess convinces Harry to act and he does, administering Graham several insulin injections which stabilise him until the ambulance arrives.

Angus Coe, the caretaker of the Wandin Valley Flyer, a historic steam powered locomotive, vehemently opposes the Historical Society's decision to turn his train into a stationary monument. He wants to see the local rail line saved as well so that the Flyer can continue to run. When Harry informs Angus that he has glaucoma, Angus is forced to accept that his days of driving the Flyer are over ¶ but before the rail line is dug up, Angus decides to make one more run. Unbeknownst to Angus, a court injunction has postponed the destruction of the tracks, literally stopping the bulldozer on the tracks. As Angus steams towards a collision, Danny tries to move the bulldozer and Harry commandeers Jess's horse to chase down the Flyer. Harry boards the train and manages to stop it just inches from the bulldozer. Afterwards, Esme and the Historical Society are successful in saving the Wandin Valley rail line and appoint Angus to oversee it, with his granddaughter Terri taking over as the new driver of the Flyer.

Bridie Johnson is a young girl fighting cancer. Jess first meets Bridie while doing some work on her father's farm and quickly develops a rapport with the girl, but after learning about Bridie's cancer, Jess has a difficult time relating to her. After Bridie is rushed to the Burrigan hospital, her doctors discover she has a tumour in her lung for which nothing can be done. Jess is reluctant to return to the hospital where he father died until Harry agrees to go with her to visit Bridie. With no reason for her to remain in hospital, Bridie returns home. Bridie's father has also been having trouble coming to terms with her illness and does his best to distance himself from her. Hoping to fulfil one of Bridie's wishes, Jess and Harry want to take her out for a horseback ride but Tom intervenes, seizing the opportunity to reconnect with his daughter and create a special moment they'll both remember.

The decision to reroute a high voltage power line through Wandin Valley has stirred up controversy. Meredith Baldwin, the town's resident protester, has chained herself to the front entrance of Ian and Jess's offices (Ian had the lines moved so they would bypass a Koala habitat) and is drawing an audience with her accusations that the lines cause cancer. Not happy about her doorstep being used for a pulpit, Jess calls on Danny to remove Meredith. Witnessing the event is Ian's cousin Louise, she is staying at Willow Tree while her father is away. Louise's mother recently died from cancer and she is quick to take an interest in Meredith's message. Matters take on a serious tone when a bomb threat is delivered to the CHC, the clinic is quickly evacuated but the threat turns out to be a hoax. Immediate suspicion falls upon Meredith Baldwin but Claire soon discovers that the real culprit was Louise.

Ian discovers Claire and Danny's relationship when he returns home from a gig at the club to find Danny in Claire's bed. The following day, Ian and Danny are thrown together to supervise a group of children who have been assigned to clean up the national park as punishment for spray painting Father Lalor's car. Chasing after Miles Ferdenbach after he takes her camera, Georgie ends up stranded on a ledge. Danny rescues her but slips and falls to the bottom of the cliff requiring Ian to come to his rescue. Back in town, Harry has caught the eye of one of his young patients. Claire tries to discretely tell Yesterday Hubble that Harry has no romantic interest in her but Yesterday presses on only to be rebuffed by Harry. Yesterday is quick on the rebound however and soon hooks up with Leonard Perkins. Leonard, another of Harry's patients, is seeking a disability pension which, after Harry diagnoses the young poet with rheumatic arthritis, he seems certain to get. With he disclosure of Danny and Claire's relationship causing hurt feeling and animosity among the three residents of Willow Tree, Claire decides it would be for the best if she were to move out. Her friendship with Ian bends but does not break.

After her husband's death, Helen Ross took over the operation of their horse breeding business, but her mares have suddenly began aborting their foals putting Helen's business in jeopardy. Suspicion immediately falls upon a brumby that has been roaming the national park and it is believed that this horse is spreading the equine herpes virus to Helen's horses. Helen wants the horse killed to protect her horses but Harry, who has his eye on the brumby for himself, wants it spared. Town counsel however responds to the community's concern for their livestock and gives Jess the job of finding and destroying the horse. Tracking the horse through the park, Jess has the animal in her sights when Harry charges out of the bush to protect the horse. The brumby is cleared of any wrongdoing when an outbreak of the equine herpes virus occurs in another district, but Helen Ross, wanting to kill the horse just for the bad luck it has brought, must be talked out of shooting the horse by Harry who goes on to take possession of and break in the wild horse.

Phil Lawson, Wandin Valley's new chemist, arrives in town with his family. Unfortunately, David Lawson takes after his father in the way he treats those around him. Not long after meeting Georgie, David punches her in the nose following a minor disagreement and soon after that incident, Ian catches David beating Kane with a stick. The day after Danny's visit to the Lawson home in response to a reported disturbance, Phil Lawson's physical abuse of his wife quickly becomes the talk of the town. Having seen her at the clinic a few times, Claire befriends Adrienne Lawson and gets her to ask for help, allowing Danny to take out an intervention order against her husband. Despite Phil's attempts to stop his wife from leaving him, in the end he can only watch as Adrienne drives away with David. Esme is scandalised by the arrival of Vicki Davies-a belly dancer. Esme is horrified at her performance at the club and unsuccessfully tries to have Danny stop her from "corrupting" the community. After her visit to the CHC, Vicki is surprised to learn that she is pregnant, but Esme is even more surprised to learn that a woman of her sort is actually married. Having discovered the budding relationship between Harry and her stepdaughter, Maggie sits Harry down to tell him to tread carefully and not to do anything that would hurt Jess.

Georgie is excited. Her mother has been seeing Dr. Morrison a lot lately and Georgie thinks that there may be a relationship in the works. For Sarah Wilks however, the last thing on her mind is her social life. During a routine examine at the CHC, a lump was detected in her breast. Throughout her ordeal, Sarah keeps her daughter in the dark as to what is happening, but this only confirms Georgie's original assessment of the situation. Overhearing a conversation between her mother and Claire, Georgie begins to learn the seriousness of her mother's illness. Faced with a lumpectomy and months of follow up cancer treatments in the city, Sarah opts for a mastectomy. Leaving Georgie to stay at Willow Tree, Sarah goes to Burrigan for the operation. Georgie however wants to be with her mother and catches a bus to Burrigan the next day. Told of Georgie's impromptu trip, Harry meets her in Burrigan and takes her to see her mother at which time he convinces Sarah to finally reveal the truth to her daughter about what she is going through.

It's Lake Day and all of Wandin Valley is perched around the local fishing hole hoping to come away with the "big one." The relative serenity is broken however as Kane makes his way from angler to angler with a live grenade in his mouth. Harry is the first of the otherwise distracted parties to take notice and after a few tense moments, the dog is finally disarmed. Investigating the incident, Ian and Danny trace the grenade back to Keith Jacobs' property. Keith Jacobs, a powerful lawyer in the district, is a collector of weapons who is passing on his survivalist skills to his son. With their dealings with the Keith and Scott Jacobs seemingly over, Danny and Ian return to question the pair after Claire drives off the road after having her car shot at. While Danny works at gathering evidence against Keith Jacobs, Claire is rushed to Burrigan hospital where she lapses in to a coma.

It's Georgie's birthday but unfortunately, her father seems to have forgotten. Missing her dad, and armed with her birthday money, Georgie slips away from her party and sets off for Sydney. Having successfully reached Magnolia Vale by train, Georgie's plans go awry when she losses her money. As if her situation isn't bad enough, Georgie isn't feeling well, and back in Wandin Valley, Harry believes she may have appendicitis. Heading up the search for Georgie are Danny and Ian, but despite their efforts they always seem to find themselves two steps behind the young traveller. The frantic search concludes as Georgie is located in the bush near the rail lines outside of Magnolia Vale. Harry is able to quickly confirm his previous diagnosis and Georgie is rushed to hospital in Burrigan where a reduced holiday staff forces Harry to perform the operation. A young blind woman is struck by a car. Fortunately, she emerges unscathed but her guide dog is badly injured. The dog is taken to Jess who is able to operate on the dog to repair ligament damage to the dog's leg. Meanwhile, a relationship begins to develop between the young woman and the apologetic young man who backed his car into her. Claire does her best to sensitively decline Danny's proposal of marriage stating that she's not ready to make a commitment just yet. Ian and Sophie Wilks meanwhile have started something, much to the delight of Georgie who's still hoping to see her mother remarry.

Called out to the scene of a car accident, Harry is shocked to find Kate Bryant, his ex-wife, already there. On leave from her job in China, Kate has been staying with her parents in Melbourne and is in Burrigan to give a workshop. The unexpected reunion reopens old wounds as Harry and Kate discuss the reasons behind their break up. Following a heated conversation at the health centre, Kate phones up Harry at home to see if she can come over to talk. Wanting to give Harry an opportunity to "tie off" his relationship with Kate, Jess allows them some time to themselves. After their long discussion, Harry suggests Kate spend the night at his place so she won't have to drive back into town. One thing leads to another however and the two end up sleeping together. Jess arrives at Harry's early the next morning and finds the two together in the kitchen, quickly realising what has happened. Distraught over Harry's betrayal, Jess seeks comfort in Maggie who then goes off to blast Harry for what his actions have done to Jess. Once Kate leaves, Harry tries to reconcile with Jess but she tells him she wants nothing to do with him ever again.

Esme is heading up preparations for the upcoming Wandin Valley Fair from which the community is hoping to raise enough money to purchase their own ambulance. Discouraged by the community's lack of spirit in their efforts, Esme is in the CHC when she suffers a stroke. Upon arriving at the hospital in Burrigan, Esme's condition is not encouraging. Esme regains consciousness but is paralysed down one side of her body and is unable to speak. Maggie oversees Esme's recovery as she battles to overcome the frustration of her condition. With Esme in hospital, the community rallies around her to run a successful fundraiser. Esme's recovery is slow but she begins to regain her movement and speech. Mediating a dispute between the local butcher and his wife leads Danny and Claire into a dispute of their own over whether or not Claire will take Danny's surname once they are married. They settle on having Claire keep her name while giving their children the Sabatinni name. Danny and Claire announce their "declaration of intent" and set a wedding date. Harry tries to rebuild his relationship with Jess. Encouragement from Esme and a good word by Maggie to Jess on Harry's behalf initiate their reconciliation. Getting away from Georgie at the fair, Kane gets into some snail bait. The dog is taken to Jess who induces vomiting to save the dog. Ian and Sarah's relationship continues on happily.