Home & Away’s Next Evolutionary Storyline Step

This is a think-piece (all opinions in this are mine unless tagged otherwise), & something I’ve pondered for some time now. So whilst I’m sitting in the Library trying to figure out which WIP to work on (probably the soap I created at 14 years old, in 2002, that's now in its 75th year*) but for now, I’ll purge this thought before I lose it.

With the cancellation of Neighbours (& I loved Annalise hinting at this soap as an area ‘just outside of Sydney that has managed to avoid [cancelation]’, paraphrased, of course) it has made me appreciate & love Home & Away even more. It’s our last Aussie soap left, & although I am sad about Neighbours being no more – mainly for the loss of the Australian Film & T.V. Industry - I’m happy that this one still exists. & it’s because of this, that I think there’s a place the soap can evolve into, should it ever consider reinventing itself again, as it’s done oh so well in its past. & it's the reason why, I think, Neighbours failed – it never changed or reinvented itself, & when it almost did, it reverted back &… you know what, that’s another blog for another time.

Preface:

But before I get to where Home & Away could potentially evolve into, we should establish why the series itself, works, & why it’s kept us Aussies around & watching. (& I think there are a few solid reasons for that - besides it coming on after the highly rated 6pm news - & the fact that it has the perfect alliteration of promoting itself as ‘on 7 at 7’ (i.e. for those outside of Australia: it’s on channel 7 at 7pm). It’s such a staple that everyone in the country knows this, even if they no longer watch.)

But here are some defining facts that’ll support my pitch/proposal:

The Reasons:

1.     The Setting

The town is literally called, Summer Bay. It’s established itself on one of our world-famous beaches (I mean, in general, not this specific one, prior to 1988), with the constant sun & surf as its backdrop, along with the depiction of weather that’s always warm & sunny. This alone is an integral part of Aussie [Summer] culture (& a big promotional tool for the overseas travel market). Even if you don’t live near a beach in Aus, swimming on a hot day is a welcomed, shared Aussie experience. The fact that this soap placed itself here – utilising itself as a holiday town in the very first episode, with the Summer Bay caravan park, creates the perfect establishment for getting new/different characters in to shake things up for either brief moments of conflict &/or passion, before they leave & new faces arrive. It’s why this setting alone works. (& which H&A really needs to use more of now that I’ve wrote this!)

2.     Its Original Core Storyline

The Foster kid system. This is another great way of getting new faces into the series, especially troubled teens from bad backgrounds who can reform in an ideal setting. They come in bad, cause trouble, slowly reform, then grow into mature/well-adjusted adults, before they move on out & away (or unless you’re Karen Dean, then it goes in reverse). Having this in-built storyline system - of having an organic way to bring new characters in - keeps the show fresh. & it’s been a proven point for decades.

I also love, & appreciate, that they’re reintroducing this again in these later years.

But what also went well was…

3.      Its 2011 Reinvention

The introduction of The River Boys - based off of an already known/established Sydney group, The Bra Boys - was absolute genius! It’s literally what EastEnders did by introducing Phil & Grant Mitchell - both paying homage to the Kray Twins/Brothers of, also the Eastend, & to where they both became amazing standalone characters in & of themselves – just like the Rivers Boys did.

The way the series took the story of Brax, Heath, & Casey, etc. was so well done (here’s a great article looking back on them), & it was cool to see Brax (& Ricky’s) 2026 return, & see how far they’ve come since their 2016 departure.

& now, to a point that’s more of an additive/bonus that’ll make sense later:

4.      It’s Longstanding Characters

Alf Stewart is an amazing character! From day one you could take this no-nonsense, matter of fact, kinda guy as is, at face value, but also as an upstanding stalwart of the community. Plus, he’s known both nationally – probably not for the right reasons that I won’t tag here, but IYKYK lol! & internationally, thanks to the show’s success. & the fact we have the term Alfisms shows what an integral part of our Aussie lexicon this character is – literally representing an Aussie everyday man from a bygone era who is almost gone!

& considering he’s the only remaining, original cast member left – after, almost 40 years - is an achievement in & of itself! (He’s Australia’s longest-serving, currently featured, soap character to date - in his 38^th consecutive year. & the 30^th longest-serving, currently featured, soap character in the world. He’s a literal thoroughfare that links the soap from its premiere to its present.)

(I wrote more on this, however, I need to get to my point so I’ll blog about that another time.)

Before that, though, an Honourable Mention:

5.     The mid-2000s Stalker Storyline

I’m bringing this up as it’s a point I’ll be using as to the location choice, & something that almost happened in a spin two years ago. I’m also adding it, due to how popular & shocking it was. A “stalker” [i.e. Killer] was ripping through the town, & it seemed like viewers, everywhere, were talking about it - this was an amazing time to be a fan! We’d try & guess who it was, & tape & rewatch episodes. & then when the reveal happened it paid off well - & then it was extended even further than we thought. I was a late teen then & it’s a storyline that stuck with me.

& now, to where I think Home & Away’s next evolutionary step, could grow, should they choose to ever want to reinvent themselves again. & it’s not where the series is currently set, but instead, to a town over, that’s already well & truly established - since the soaps own early days, & with it’s own unique identity, but with a story it can tell about the modern Aussie world we currently live in.

I pitch this proposal, of the storyline, of:

Yabbie Yuppie Creek

I first need to address the 2024 series that was almost made, & that would’ve see Lincoln Lewis return, as Detective Sgt. Geoff Cooper solving a bunch of “kill-sprees” with Irene Roberts (unrelated to where I’m going with this - future storyline's may change depending on future happenings, but related to the almost same mid-2000s storyline in bullet-point 5). Now, that would’ve been cool, but it didn’t seem to eventuate, so I’m pitching this in its place, as the show has already set my proposed storyline up, in storyline's of years past.

Back in 2003, Alf Stewart had a brain tumour which ‘resurrected’ his deceased wife, Ailsa back, but not as a ghost – more of a benevolent spirit who ends up warning him of what his beloved town would become should he pass away.

Image Source: there’s actually a great picture of these two fantastic actors with Judy Nunn & I cannot find it – I have it in Andrew Mercado’s Aussie Soaps book, but it’s in Storage ATM. UGH!

Image Source: there’s actually a great picture of these two fantastic actors with Judy Nunn & I cannot find it – I have it in Andrew Mercado’s Super Aussie Soaps book (which I won in an award & furthered my soap opera addiction haha), but it’s in Storage ATM. UGH!

So, with the guide of Ailsa, in the body of an Aboriginal Alf (played by David Ngoombujarra), he moves around Summer Bay & sees how gentrified it becomes. This seems to be a reason he “returns” to his body, says goodbye to his beloved, yet “literal-brain-tumour-wife”, Ailsa, & to his Aboriginal Alf counterpart.

From then on, Summer Bay has rarely changed.

But what works in this favour – of the gentrification of Yabbie/Yuppie Creek - is the fact, if not this town, then why not the town that’s big enough to house the local cop shop, hospital, & train station? Many residences have worked there, & studied there, & there’s even a racecourse there – that, in & of itself begins to set this place up as something a bit more fancy than the average residents who live besides the beach (which is an actually win BTW; I lived near the beach in Maroubra – no, I’m not a Bra Boy, but that time was the coolest, most enjoyable experience I had living in Sydney. It’s win!)

Another prehistorical storyline with similar connotations occurred in 1988, when Brett Macklin was introduced to build a resort in town with, again, Alf Stewart involved (see how integral this character is).

Right here, we have two previous, well-established instances, of Summer Bay almost becoming a gentrified location, but it doesn’t. So, if not here, then why not the town over?

IMO, the best way for this too work, is two-fold:

1. I’d start with a yacht (or whatever fancy boat) cruising parallel to the beach, on the sea, so it’s seen from the soaps locations, but still far out to be untouchable, yet recognisable for what is - an invading species.

Also: in NSW waters it states (verbatim):

“Powered vessels – including sailing boats over 5.5m long and personal watercraft (PWC) – must keep a minimum distance of 60m from:

• people in the water, including swimming and surfing areas

• the boundaries of designated swimming areas and surf zones (marked by signs)

• a dive flag or float.”

  
  

Right here is your first conflict – there’s a rich boat sailing to close to surfers, being a nuisance, & disturbing the peace.

& then…

2. You have the option of introducing a brand new character who works/is staff/crew who hires/leases a plot of water to rest the boat in, before you reintroduce a character from the soaps past – it’d have to be someone before 2010, at least – as someone who points out the towns shift/elevation – questionable at best (Hmm, I wonder what Lincoln Lewis is up to these days?) Or - & this might work better - one of the new/returned Yuppie’s IS a last resident, & funnily enough, we actually did have two characters appear as this before.

Again, in Alf’s 2003 brain tumour dream vision: Josh West (Daniel Collopy) & Hayley Lawson (Bec Hewitt/Cartwright’s) appeared as an unhappily married, miserable, & the literal epitome of the yuppie lifestyle, couple. It’d be a funny, ironic way to bring them back, but in the town over, & showcase that they did, in fact become exactly this. (Although I’ve used these two characters as a suggestion, I doubt it’ll work as Daniel Collopy lives in the USA now, & Irene wouldn’t be there for put Hayley (Bec Hewitt’s, Hayley, not the other one) - back in her place. & even then, would Bec Hewitt return? Sounds like she might have time on her hands if The UK Daily Mail is right about this January 2026 article. But Gypsy Nash would also work as well, amongst so many other awesome characters of years gone by.)

You could even tie this back to Brett Macklin & have him pop up again, with him being behind this latest development. He already has a solid, albeit rocky, history with Alf, & Roo - & don’t we deserve some sort of compensation/conclusion to them/that storyline from 38 years ago? Heck, where’s Martha these days? If it took 27 years of Alf, Roo, & Duncan to reappear in a scene together then these three deserve that screen time (or, in a crazy twist, it’s Martha who’s behind the gentrification. Or Duncan - a way to get back at his Dad - but again, Brendan McKensy - not his replacement, although I don’t think McKensy acts anymore(?) But wouldn’t that twist, of either of them being involved, infuriate Alf! Haha).

But returning to the gentrification plot of Yabbie Yuppie Creek, you actually can double - even triple - your storylines here when you really think about it. You’d have the residents of Summer Bay winning out on not having their beach front setting changed, but then it backfires when the town over becomes overrun with wealth, opulence, & (again) gentrification. So not only are they now dealing with the rich, in turn, they’d be dealing with those who are pushed out of those places when they’re priced out. & where do the lower-income earners go when they’re affected by this economic shift? To the places around them - as they still have ties to businesses, schools, medical facilities, as well as parole officers, Centrelink, & public transportation. But their displacement not only affects them - it affects everyone around them! Just look at this 2011 Report on ‘Gentrification and displacement’ where they interviewed 29 people who identified as “being priced-out through gentrification activity.” (AHURI 2010, p. 21).

If Yabbie Creek becomes “Yuppie Creek” (in colloquial terms only), then there becomes a need for families to find cheaper homes, if parents can’t, then where do their children/teens who don’t have a home go?

Home & Away’s storylines can then:

·        keep Summer Bay as is,

·        return the show to its roots – of fostering kids,

·        grow/develop the often-mentioned town over from them,

·        continue the gang/crime stories with new, displaced characters - who now have solid reasons to “get back at society” for those changes/displacements,

- whilst living in the only area they can afford - the caravan park,

·        & who’s running that at the Summer Bay House? Why, it’s the long-standing character of Alf Stewart - who’s at the heart of this all.

Because at the end of the day, this soap has a solid foundation it can build off, with previous storylines that can support this story, & to which the show can organically evolve to, whilst giving the Aussie audience something new & fresh to watch, that's not too different, but is also distinct enough that this soaps core settings can remain as is, whilst also skirting an area of almost unfamiliarity.

Now, I know this post is long, but without an IRL setting, then this storyline falls flat. But for me, there is one, & I live: It’s both up the coast & down the coast from me.

Noosa - for years, I’d almost argue, decades - going off this article - has resisted the development of what the Gold Coast has become. There was even a great recent (19th February 2026) article about it in The Australian (some may not have access to it as it’s behind there paywall, so it’s been copied & pasted in this Facebook post where a judge as called the place out for “getting in the way of development.”) So even IRL, we can see a modern day resistance & what becomes of a place when money moves in.

So that’s my library thought (that actually took five days to edit. UGH! Haha).

Thanks for your time! Now, I must get back to my own soap opera.

Oh, & if H&A actually sees this, or does this, storyline – dibs on being a writer/developer on it because this took a lot of effort & research, but boy what a cool storyline you’d have/& this was a lot fun to realise! :D

*Because I've been writing & developing my own Soap Opera - amongst many other T.V. shows/Films, etc - this is why & how I know how to develop this genre - I've studied it! I've watched as many as I could across the world. I massive, super geeky fan of many soaps. See my previous Blog about that; now that I think about it, I should actually write a blog about my soap opera journey in general, as a way to refer back to that when talking about all of this.

24-Feb-2026 Edit: I realised I stated how old I was when I created my first soap opera but not the year I did that in. (Amended in the opening paragraph.)