It’s been more than three decades since Home and Away first aired on television, making Summer Bay feel like a second home. We consider the characters we’ve adored or despised.
1 Alf Stewart
(From 1988 until the present, Ray Meagher)
We don’t know who is, but if Alf Stewart isn’t Australia’s most iconic TV character, we don’t know who is. When Home and Away premiered in 1988, Alf was one of the show’s initial 18 characters, and would you believe Meagher currently holds the Guinness World Record for being the longest-serving actor in an Australian series? Alf is known for his no-nonsense demeanor, his liking for ocker headgear, giving out unsolicited advice, and his numerous catchphrases, such as “flamin’ galah!” It’s conceivable that the day Meagher retires and Alf is murdered off will be a national holiday.
2 Irene Roberts
(From 1993 to the present, Lynne McGranger)
When Irene Roberts arrived in the Bay as a washed-up alcoholic, she reminded me a little of Annie’s Miss Hannigan. Once she had regained her composure, this weather-beaten Aussie battler showed she had a golden heart by welcoming a regular stream of wayward, disturbed children into her home for a shoulder to cry on, a hot cup of tea, and a place to stay. Irene is one of the show’s longest-running characters, and the actress who plays her, Lynne McGranger, has become a national treasure.
3 Darryl (Brax) Braxton
(2011-2016, Stephen Peacocke)
Brax, the leader of the criminal surfie group the River Boys, had the town and fans in a spin from the moment he came in Summer Bay. He also had a thing for women. He fell in love with the local cop, Charlie Buckton (Esther Anderson), but when she died, he went insane and became a cage fighter, where he was beaten to a pulp. Ricky (Bonnie Sveen) helped him get back on track, and the two had a child together and were happy for a time. Brax, on the other hand, was not one to stay put for long. He’s still out there, and many admirers are hoping for a comeback.
4 Shane Parrish
Dieter Brummer (Dieter Brummer, 1992-1996)
Millennials around the country lamented the loss of their first love when Dieter Brummer died in July. Almost every woman in the 1990s who was a teenager had a sweet place for Brummer (and probably a Smash Hits poster of him on their wall). Shane, like many other Home and Away characters, was a bad lad before falling in love with Angel, being married, and then tragically dying of septicemia on their first wedding anniversary picnic.
5 Bobby Simpson
(1988-1993, 1995) (Nicolle Dickson)
Bobby was a popular character in the 1980s and 1990s, as a troubled kid with a big heart. Bobby was always at odds with Summer Bay High’s strict principal Donald Fisher, and she was also involved in a love triangle with her foster brother Frank (Alex Papps) and Alf’s daughter Roo. When it was found that Bobby’s biological parents were Donald and Morag Bellingham (Alf’s sister), her narrative took an unexpected turn. While Donald and Bobby were both shocked when they discovered the truth, they eventually grew to love each other. In 1993, Bobby was killed in a boating accident. When Ailsa Stewart began having hallucinations and seeing Bobby’s face on her refrigerator, she made a brief and weird come back to the series.
6 Marilyn Chambers
(1989-1992, 1995-1999, 2001, 2010-present) (Emily Symons)
Marilyn added a sense of whimsy to Summer Bay. She was introduced as Lance Vroom’s beautician girlfriend, with a bouffant that rivaled Marge Simpson’s and the inexplicable ability to march along the beach in sky-high stilettos. Early on, she was frequently at odds with Alf’s sisters Morag and Celia, whereas Alf had a soft spot for Marilyn and has come to regard her as a surrogate daughter, despite the fact that she has never ceased referring to him as “Mr. Stewart.” Marilyn has married twice, suffered from post-natal depression, lost her kid, been electrocuted, experienced amnesia, moved overseas, survived cancer, and taken up fortune-telling over the years.
7 Sally Fletcher
(1988-2008, 2013) (Kate Ritchie)
Kate Ritchie started playing Sally when she was eight years old and didn’t leave until she was 28. Sally was one of Tom and Pippa’s first foster kids, and she was noted for her plump cheeks and imaginary buddy Milco. We watched as Sally (and Ritchie) received their first bra, had their first pash (with Heath Ledger’s character Scott Irwin, no less), had a child through a surrogate, and realized Milco was actually her long-lost brother Miles. Will Sally ever return to the Bay, the burning question? Never rule out the possibility.
8 Belle Taylor
(2006-2009, Jessica Tovey)
Summer Bay was the destination for the wicked girl with a golden heart, who was looking for her birth mother. Belle quickly fell in love with Aden Jefferies, who was sassy, sharp, and outspoken (Todd Lasance). Fans dubbed the couple the “hottest couple” on television at the time. Belle and Aden’s relationship was put to the test several times, notably when he kidnapped her and when she acquired a painkiller addiction and lied to Aden about quitting. Despite everything, Belle and Aden proved to be a strong couple and a tremendous hit with viewers. Before their wedding, Belle learned she had terminal cancer and determined not to inform Aden. Despite the fact that he realized the truth, they married anyhow. In one of the show’s most devastating storylines, Belle died in Aden’s arms.
9 Donald Fisher
(1988-2003, 2004, 2005, 2007) (Norman Coburn)
Donald “Flathead” Fisher, the straight-180, stuffy principal of Summer Bay High, eventually mellowed with time. He was hell-bent on locking up wayward young Bobby in the pilot episode in 1988, only to realize she was his daughter a few years later. Donald’s strange romance with flamboyant beautician Marilyn helped to endear him to the audience. Their chalk-and-cheese connection resulted in several amusing plots.
10 Charlie Buckton
(2008-2013, Esther Anderson)
Charlie, the kind-hearted copper, was played by Esther Anderson, who was hugely popular. She had a brief lesbian romance with Joey Collins (Kate Bell), but the relationship was cut short due to fan disapproval. Charlie had a few flings after that, but the love of her life was, of course, bad-boy Brax. Her family made the tough decision to switch off her life support after she was shot, as admirers all over the world mourned her death.
11 Jasmine Delaney
(2017-present, Sam Frost)
Since joining the cast in 2017, Jasmine has been through a lot. Her husband was murdered, she suffered from melancholy, and she grew obsessed with having a child to the point of plotting to steal one. Despite everything, she’s quite likable. We first encountered Sam Frost on The Bachelor, when she was hunting for love. When she was dumped by love-rat Blake Garvey, the nation sympathized, but no doubt that experience helped her relate to all the anguish Jasmine would encounter in Summer Bay.
12 Sophie Simpson
(1990-1993, 2002, 2003, 2005) (Rebekah Elmaloglou)
Sophie was an original fan and a 90s fashion star who favored knee-length denim shorts (remember those?!). She was a foster child of Pippa and Tom’s and became pregnant with David Croft (Guy Pearce), a teacher at Summer Bay High and Donald’s nephew, who died in an accident before Sophie realized she was pregnant. Sophie dropped out of the show after David’s mother visited and persuaded her to go to Perth in order to assist Sophie in raising her and David’s daughter, Tamara. Sophie made a few cameo appearances and even offered to be a surrogate for Sally and Flynn before miscarrying the baby and reconciling with her high school sweetheart Blake (Les Hill).
13 Shannon Reed
(1994-1997) (Isla Fisher)
Even as a teenager, this Washington native possessed undeniable star potential. Shannon was a forward-thinking character in the 1990s. She was an ambitious writer who struggled with anorexia and subsequently fell in love with an older female writer with whom she allegedly departed Summer Bay to be. In real life, Isla Fisher went on to act in a number of Hollywood films, including a noteworthy role in Wedding Crashers as a “stage-five clinger.”
14 Leah Patterson
(2000-present) Ada Nicodemou
You have to respect Leah for sticking with love despite her poor track record. She first appeared on the show in her wedding gown as a runaway bride in 2000, and she’s been doomed ever since. Vinnie Patterson (Ryan Kwanten), who died in a prison fire, was the first man she fell for. But, in classic Home and Away fashion, he turned out not to be dead and spent the entire time in witness protection. Over the years, there have been countless additional once-in-a-lifetime great loves and proposals, but one by one, her suitors have abandoned her, whether due to death in an abseiling accident or the decision to become a missionary in Africa. Justin Morgan (James Stewart), her current beau, is still with her. She’s also been abducted numerous times.
15 Gypsy Nash
Kimberly Cooper (Kimberly Cooper, 1998–2002, 2011)
Gypsy Nash was a wild-child schoolgirl who became a fan favorite despite the fact that her character has since left the show. She was the type of girl that adolescent girls in the late 1990s and early 2000s wished to hang out with, as well as the type of female that all the boys wished to date. Gypsy eventually married Will Smith (Zac Drayson) and went to Queensland with him. When Irene was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, she returned to the Bay. But, after generating a slew of problems, Irene ordered her to leave with her daughter Lily.
16 Martha Stewart/Mackenzie
(1988, 2005-2010) (Jodi Anasta)
Martha was named after Roo’s mother and was born to teen Roo in the first year of the show. Jodi Anasta, a model-turned-actor, played Martha when she returned to the Bay in 2005. Working as a pole dancer, the fun-loving and feisty newbie raised eyebrows, and the sequences received some attention for being inappropriate for the time slot. Martha had her work cut out for her surviving a helicopter crash, an abortion, and miscarriage, difficulties with alcoholism, being diagnosed with breast cancer and surviving an explosion on her wedding day when she wasn’t shaking her booty.
17 Vinnie Patterson
1997-2002 (Ryan Kwanten)
Sadly, he was doomed. Vinnie was Summer Bay’s larrikin, always up to mischief and shenanigans. He fell in love with and married Leah, but was arrested for fraud shortly after their son VJ (Vinnie Jr) was born, thanks to his father’s shady business. Vinnie was eventually released into witness protection but died in a farming accident, allowing Ryan Kwanten to move to Hollywood and star in the cult vampire series True Blood.
18 Angel Parrish
Melissa George (Melissa George, 1993-1996)
Melissa George, a Perth native, made her big break portraying Angel, an ethereal, hippie Summer Bay inhabitant and half of the renowned Shane-and-Angel power couple, before becoming an international TV sensation. Angel, who had been in a car accident, suddenly rose from her wheelchair on her wedding day to go down the aisle. And, despite being one of the show’s most popular love stories, George and Brummer apparently couldn’t stand each other in real life.
19 Pippa Fletcher/Ross
(Debra Lawrance, 1990-2009; Vanessa Downing, 1988-1990)
Pippa, her husband Tom (Roger Oakley), and their foster children moved to the Bay in the first episode of Home and Away. But Pippa had her share of heartbreak as well: Tom died of a heart attack, she lost a baby to SIDS, and her second husband Michael (Dennis Coard) drowned. While Vanessa Downing was a fantastic Pippa, Debra Lawrance, who played the character for two decades, was also a hit with the audience.
20 Romeo Smith
(2009-2013, Luke Mitchell)
To be honest, we’re still reeling over Romeo’s awful death. He kept true-love Indi in the dark about his terminal cancer diagnosis, leaving the Bay to spare his wife the agony of his final days. Shut up, I’m not crying, YOU’RE crying. His ashes were dispersed from the Summer Bay cliff tops.
21 Indi Walker
(2009–2013, Samara Weaving)
Samara Weaving (yes, she’s connected to Hugo — she’s his niece) played Indi, one-half of one of Summer Bay’s most enduring love tales before she became a Hollywood A-lister. Indi eventually departed Summer Bay for a new life in Copenhagen, Denmark, heartbroken by Romeo’s death. Just like you do.
22 Chloe Richards
(From 1995 until 2005, Kristy Wright)
Irene fostered several children, including Chloe. Her stories included her being raped, misusing drugs, having a breakdown, unwittingly dating her rapist, and being injured in a vehicle accident caused by her intoxicated, jilted would-be lover Jesse McGregor (Ben Unwin). Despite the fact that Chloe’s injuries appeared minor, she died of an embolism on the day she was scheduled to have surgery on her wounded arm.
23 Lance Smart
(Vroom, Peter, 1988-1990, 2000-2006)
Lance isn’t complete without his sidekick Martin Dribble, Summer Bay’s Laurel, and Hardy. When Home and Away first aired in the 1980s, the two were regular characters and served as the show’s comic relief double-act. Lance was Colleen’s (Lyn Collingwood) son, and he continued to come on the show as a regular guest into the 1990s.
24 Martin Dibble
Craig Thomsen (Craig Thomsen, 1988-1990, 2000, 2002)
Martin, Lance’s opposite half, was the operation’s “brains,” routinely leading his offsider astray. He was a resident of the RV park and was on hand to greet the Fletchers when they arrived at the Bay.
25 Hayley Smith
(Ella Scott Lynch, 2005; Bec Cartwright, 1998-2005)
Bec Cartwright was Irene’s foster daughter, Hayley, before becoming Australia’s favorite WAG. After being pregnant with tennis player Lleyton Hewitt, she departed the show in 2005. Her character was recast, but it wasn’t the same, and Hayley was soon forced to live in another country (the TV alternative to dying).
26 VJ Patterson
(2014-2018, Matthew Little)
Vinnie Jr, aka VJ, is the son of Leah and Vinnie and has been a Summer Bay fixture for more than two decades. Various child actors have stepped into his shoes throughout the years, but Matthew Little, who joined as an adult VJ, truly embodied the character. He’s still out there someplace, and we’re looking forward to seeing him again. Again.
27 Dean Thompson
(2018-present, Patrick O’Connor)
He’s the current bad boy of the Bay, and we love him for it. Dean, a member of the famed River Boys crime group, arrived in Summer Bay a few years ago. He was involved in the assassination of Bella Nixon’s father, Ross, while later claiming he was too drunk to remember anything. Dean’s best friend Colby took the fall for it, and knowing that there’s no one else to save, he’s still striving to satisfy his hero complex. Are you up to no good or simply misunderstood? Maybe a little of both, but either way, he’s a fan favorite.
28 Frank Morgan
1988-1989, 1991-1992, 2000, 2002, Alex Papps)
That’s right, kids, Alex Papps was on Home and Away before hosting Play School. Frank, to be honest, was a clumsy but endearing character who was easily duped by the cunning Roo. He eventually fell in love with Bobby, but only after Roo had dumped him on their wedding day. He later deserted Bobby to pursue Roo again, like in any good TV love triangle. Papps has appeared on the show as a guest several times and hasn’t ruled out a comeback.
29 Roo Stewart
(Georgie Parker, 2010-present; Justine Clarke, 1988-1989)
Back in the day, Roo was the Bay’s biggest schemer. She made Frank, Ailsa, and Bobby’s lives a living nightmare by lying and conniving her way through life. She was the type of villain that fans loved to despise. In 2010, a new Roo (in more ways than one) made his way back to the Bay. The older Roo, now played by Georgie Parker, is much more beige. Isn’t it true that we miss the old Roo? Yes, absolutely.
30 Tom Fletcher
(1988-1990) (Roger Oakley)
Tom may have only been on the show for a few years, but he is still a fan favorite. He arrived at Summer Bay with his motley group of foster kids and adoring wife, Pippa, to run the caravan park. His foster children Bobby, Sophie, and Steven were all in the car when he died in a car accident, and we as a nation were profoundly traumatized by his untimely death.
31 Justin Morgan
(From 2016 to the present, James Stewart)
James Stewart, the former star of Packed to the Rafters, is one of Summer Bay’s most well-known residents. Justin, who is very protective of his children, is a troublemaker who has been involved in a number of high-profile skirmishes, squabbles, and controversies over the years. He is married to his co-star Sarah Roberts, who plays Willow, in real life.
32 Tane Parata
(Ethan Browne, present) (Ethan Browne, present) (Ethan Browne, present) (Ethan
Tane has the biggest biceps in the Bay, and he’s a bad boy with the looks to match. When he’s not shredding for gains, Summer Bay’s version of a new-age sensitive man can be found flashing a cheeky smile at the ladies and trying to avoid the high-risk, high-reward world of crime.
33 Morag Bellingham
1988-1989, 1993, 2001-2009, 2011-2013, 2016-2017 (Cornelia Frances)
Morag was the Bay’s first meddling badass, and he remains a fan favorite. What was it about the women in the Stewart family? Morag was a lawyer, Alf’s sister, and Roo’s aunt. She was cold, aggressive, brilliant, and devious. Bobby’s biological mother was eventually revealed to be her. For nearly 30 years, Morag appeared in the series on and off. Cornelia Frances died of bladder cancer a year after she made her final appearance in 2017.
34 Ziggy Astoni
(2017-present, Sophie Dillman)
Ziggy, who started off as a troubled adolescent, has won over the Bay and his followers. She has seen her fair share of love and tragedy, and she is fiercely devoted. She married Brody Morgan (Jackson Heywood), a heroin addict, but their union was short-lived after Brody’s affair with one of his employees was discovered. Ziggy also had an on-again, off-again romance with Dean Thompson, who was played by Patrick O’Connor, Sophie Dillman’s real-life spouse.
35 Jesse McGregor
1996-2000, 2002-2005, Ben Unwin)
Jesse was a thorny character. While attempting to provide a better life for his daughter Rachel, he frequently chose the easy path of crime. He tried to clean up his act multiple times, even going into business with Alf and Hayley to buy the Surf Club, but when life threw him some curveballs, he realized that being Mr Nice Guy was not getting him anywhere. Chloe was killed in a hit-and-run car accident as a result of his downward spiral. Ben Unwin passed away in the year 2019.
36 Kim Hyde
(2004-2007, Chris Hemsworth)
A number of young actors earned their big break on the shores of Summer Bay, including Hollywood hunk Chris Hemsworth. He originally won our hearts as Kim Hyde, a sandy-haired surfer who moved to Summer Bay after his father, Barry Hyde (Ivar Kants), got a job as the principal of Summer Bay High. For the part, Hemsworth won the Logie Award for most popular new male talent in 2005 – viewers clearly recognize star potential when they see it.
37 Emma Jackson
(1989-1990) Danni Minogue
Dannii Minogue’s hair, pout, leather jacket, and devil-may-care attitude made it plain that she’d left Young Talent Time well behind her the moment she stepped foot in Summer Bay. After beating her stepfather, Barry, Emma moved in with her aunt Ailsa Stewart (Judy Nunn). From the start, she had a tiff with the snobbish Alf. Dannii tried out for the role of Marilyn in the first place.
38 Ailsa Stewart
(1988-2000, 2002-2003, Judy Nunn)
The diner was owned by Alf’s wife, Ailsa, and Bobby long before Leah and Irene took it (Nicolle Dickson). Ailsa was always willing to listen to other people’s issues because she was practical, caring, and down-to-earth. Ailsa appeared to be a model citizen on the surface, but she had a dark secret: she’d been imprisoned for murdering her violent father. She died of a heart attack after surviving everything from a mudslide to an armed robbery. Judy Nunn quit concentrating on her thriving writing career.
39 Ricky Sharpe
(2013-2016 Bonnie Sveen)
Bombshell blonde Ricky Sharpe became the Bay’s sweetheart in no time. Fans dubbed her and Brax “Bricky” because of their romance. From his incarceration to a miscarriage, her short-lived marriage to Cooper (Kyle Pryor), and the birth of her and Brax’s baby, their relationship had its ups and downs. From beginning to end, it was a rollercoaster ride that fans couldn’t get enough of.
40 Natasha Andrews
(2003-2006, Isabel Lucas)
Tasha was adopted by a group of Y2K survivors who died trying to save their bush house from a fire. For several weeks, she washed up on a beach (literally), speaking only pig Latin. She then became a member of one of the numerous cults that have infiltrated Summer Bay, was drugged and became pregnant with the cult leader’s kid, Jonah. Isabel Lucas went on to star in films such as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, The Pacific, Immortals, and Red Dawn after leaving the show. But she is arguably most known for being an anti-vaxxer and an outspoken environmentalist and animal rights activist.
41 Angelo Rosetta
(2008-2011, 2020) (Luke Jacobz)
When Angelo shot and killed fellow cop Jack Holden (Paul O’Brien), he became one of the show’s most despised characters. He was arrested and accused of murder, although he pled not guilty. He was subsequently cleared of Jack’s murder, and he and Nicole fled the Bay (Tessa James). Angelo reappeared in 2020, accompanied by his new wife, Taylor (Annabelle Stephenson). Angelo was tasked with investigating the murder of Ross Nixon after rising to the level of a detective (Justin Rosniak). To acquire insight into the inquiry, Colby Thorne (Tim Franklin) began sleeping with Taylor. Angelo was able to tape Colby confessing to the crime and then departed the Bay with Taylor in tow once more.
42 Nicole Franklin
(2008-2011, Tessa James)
Nicole was first portrayed as a high-maintenance party girl whose mellowing was aided by her connection with Geoff Campbell (Lincoln Lewis). Her plots revolve around a sex tape and a teenage pregnancy. She agreed to let Marilyn (who was desperate for a child of her own) raise her child, but she later changed her mind and left Summer Bay with Angelo and George. Tessa James married rugby player Nate Myles in real life and battled Hodgkin’s disease in 2014. She is currently cancer-free.
43 Kirsty Sutherland
2000-2005, 2008-2009 (Christie Hayes)
Kirsty’s tale was one of the most strange and contentious on the show: she fell in love with, and subsequently married, her sister’s rap artist, Kane Phillips (Sam Atwell). Kirsty and her identical twin sister Jade (Kate Garven) shared a telepathic link, which led Kirsty to Jade’s rescue when she was stranded in a landslide. However, their parents, Rhys and Shelley, were given the shock of their lives when it was discovered that there had been a mix-up at the hospital and that Kirsty and Jade were not twins at all, but that Kirsty had an identical twin named Laura.
44 Selina Cook
(1994-1998) Tempany Deckert
Selina Cook, a teen tearaway, wore thick eyeliner, plaid shirts, and Doc Martens. Selina reminded Irene a lot of herself, so she took her under her wing. Selina was sexually abused, had a near-death experience, was stalked, became pregnant, miscarried, and had an affair with her teacher Steven Matheson (one of Pippa and Tom’s initial foster children, played by Adam Willits) over the course of the series. She eventually married Steven and relocated to another country with him.
45 Tori Morgan
(2016-present, Penny McNamee)
Tori has gone through a lot of sorrow and is an overachiever in practically every regard. She is a single mother and a successful doctor who oversees the ED at the local hospital. She was in a plane crash and had a child with Robbo through IVF (Jake Ryan). She was just dumped at the altar by Christian Green (Ditch Davey), but she returned to him because her alternatives in Summer Bay are limited.
46 Heath Braxton
(2011-2014, 2016-2017, 2021, Dan Ewing)
Heath (Dan Ewing) was a bad lad, like many newcomers to the Bay. But he changed his ways and became one of the more endearing characters. He was a member of the River Boys and had a history of running afoul of the law, but he softened and married Bianca Scott (Lisa Gormley), but not before she punched him in the head on their wedding day after discovering he had cheated on her. In 2021, he reappeared unexpectedly for one night solely to scare away a competing gang.
47 Ryder Jackson
(2017-present, Lukas Radovich)
Ryder arrived in Summer Bay, like most teenagers, with large chips on both shoulders, confident, brash, and sassy. He was revealed to be Alf’s grandson, a troubled boy with a lot of mistaken rage. Ryder’s most important narrative had his best friend acting on affections for him, which resulted in a kiss. Ryder did not reciprocate Ty’s (Darius Williams) affections, but he embraced his friend’s sexuality.
48 Rebecca Fisher
1996-1999 (Belinda Emmett)
Before Belinda Emmett took over the role, it was portrayed by two other people, one of which being Frayed star Jane Hall. Rebecca was Donald Fisher’s daughter, and after Pippa departed the Bay, she and her husband Travis took over the camper park. Emmett departed the program after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, and she died in 2006.
49 Colleen Smart
(1988-1989, 1997, 1999-2013, Lyn Collingwood)
Colleen, Summer Bay’s troublemaker, couldn’t keep her nose out of other people’s affairs. Alf Stewart and his sisters Morag and Celia were Colleen’s classmates; she later discovered that they were her half-siblings. Colleen’s biggest blunder was burning down Ailsa’s favorite dinner, which she did inadvertently. Leah was the one who took the fall.
50 Travis Nash
(From 1995 to 1999, Nic Testoni)
Travis was Rebecca’s other half, and the last time we heard from him, he and Bec were blissfully married in Canada. In passing, it was mentioned that they now have a grown-up son. So keep an eye out for him – he’ll show up at some point. Like both of his parents, he’ll most likely have amazing hair.