Grace O'Connor

Home and Away

Company type	Television series
Industry	Television soap opera
Founded	January 17, 1988 (1988-01-17)
Founder	Seven Network
Headquarters	Australia
Area served	Australia

Home and Away is a long-running Australian soap opera that premiered on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. This segment lists characters introduced during 2002, all under the direction of Series Producer Julie McGuaran. The show's fifteenth season commenced broadcasting on 14 January 2002. Sebastian Elmaloglou made his debut as Max Sutherland in January, Rhett Giles appeared as Paris Burnett in April, Laurie Foell joined as Deputy Principal Angie Russell in September, and her son Dylan (Brett Hicks-Maitland) arrived in October.

Max Sutherland

Max Sutherland, portrayed by Sebastian Elmaloglou, first appeared on-screen on 21 January 2002 and remained until 1 September 2004. Prior to this role, Elmaloglou had guest appearances on programs such as GP, making Max his first regular television character. He described Max as mischievous, contrasting with his own personality. Around the time of his debut, Elmaloglou watched reruns of Home and Away featuring his sister, Rebekah Elmaloglou, who played Sophie Simpson.

Max arrives in Summer Bay accompanied by his father, Pete (Christopher Mayer), intending to stay with his uncle Rhys (Michael Beckley) and aunt Shelley (Paula Forrest). However, when Pete escapes to Hong Kong to evade gambling debts, Max's stay becomes indefinite. He quickly forms a friendship with caravan dweller Colleen Smart (Lyn Collingwood) and frequently finds himself in trouble at school alongside his cousin Kirsty (Christie Hayes). Max assists Colleen in authoring a book under the pseudonym "Maxine Peterson" and becomes involved in a short-lived romantic triangle with Tamara Simpson (Sophie Luck) and Caitlin (Bree Beadman), both of whom eventually depart from the series.

Max develops a bond with the confused Tasha Andrews (Isabel Lucas) and feels drawn to new student Eloise Lennox (Suzanne McEachern), who suffers from terminal leukaemia. He supports her final wishes before Eloise passes away in his arms. Max later constructs a memorial inside an abandoned mineshaft that subsequently collapses, trapping him along with Rhys, Kirsty, and Jade (Kate Garven); all are eventually rescued.

After Rhys divorces Shelley and marries Beth Hunter (Clarissa House), Max faces challenges adjusting to her twins, Henry (Tobi Atkins) and Matilda Hunter (Indiana Evans), who initially have conflicts with the Sutherlands. A school boxing match between Max and Henry—sparked by a headlock incident—leads to their friendship. Max briefly shows interest in Matilda but is rejected. As familial tensions escalate and Rhys reunites with Shelley, Max feels increasingly alienated and declines an invitation to move with them to the city, opting instead for boarding school.

For his portrayal of Max, Elmaloglou received a nomination for "Best Young Actor" at the 2004 Inside Soap Awards. Channel 5 praised the 2003 season finale featuring the mineshaft collapse as one of the series’ standout episodes. In 2017, Digital Spy commended Max’s story arcs for their complexity relative to typical child characters in soap operas. Conversely, Inside Soap criticized the terminal illness storyline for rehashing an earlier plot involving Blake Dean and Meg Bowman.

Paris Burnett

Paris Burnett, played by Rhett Giles, made his debut on 29 April 2002 and exited the series on 10 September 2003. Giles, who had previously appeared in All Saints, returned to that show following his stint on Home and Away.

Taking over the role of principal at Summer Bay High from Donald Fisher, who was suspended amid efforts by the education department to shut down the school, Paris quickly develops an unspoken attraction to Irene Roberts. During a flat-painting gathering hosted by Noah Lawson and Hayley Smith, Paris and Irene bond over similar past experiences, including previous romantic losses.

Paris plays a pivotal role in preventing the school's closure after Donald uncovers evidence exposing the department's mismanagement. As Paris and Irene grow closer, he remains hesitant to advance their relationship. When Donald returns to his position, Irene opts not to pursue a relationship with Paris due to his imminent departure. However, during the Summer Bay 150th anniversary dinner, they become stranded and share a kiss, marking the beginning of their romance. Irene's foster son Nick disapproves of Paris, considering him too young. Although Paris receives a job offer in Orange, he agrees to come back for a heartfelt farewell with Irene.

Months later, Paris returns to replace Donald following his retirement, which creates friction with Angie Russell, who had anticipated promotion. Despite Irene's initial reservations, Paris convinces her to reconcile, and they move into the Beach House together. Nick's challenging behavior prompts Paris to temporarily move out. Their relationship mends after Irene is diagnosed with depression. Shortly after, Paris learns of a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of his brother and sister-in-law. He assumes responsibility for his orphaned niece and nephew and invites Irene to join him in caring for them; she declines. They share a final farewell before Paris departs from Summer Bay.

Angie Russell

Angela "Angie" Russell, portrayed by Laurie Foell, first appeared on 26 September 2002 and left on 21 March 2003; she later returned as a ghost in 2004. The revelation of Angie's murderer attracted an audience of 1.5 million viewers in Australia, surpassing the ratings of the Nine Network's Big Brother Australia 2003. Recognized as one of "The 50 most evil soap villains of all time" by What's on TV, Angie’s character was notably brought to life through Foell’s powerful performance. A writer from the Sunday Mercury described Angie as a "crackpot" and praised the show's effective handling of the murder plotline.

Dylan Russell

Dylan Russell, enacted by Brett Hicks-Maitland, made his first appearance on 8 October 2002 and departed in 2003, with a brief return in 2004. Originally from Adelaide and a graduate of NIDA, Hicks-Maitland relocated to Sydney for this role, which was extended due to favorable audience response. Even years later, he remained identified with the character Dylan.

Hicks-Maitland characterized Dylan as a thoughtful yet developing 17-year-old possessing both empathy and humor. At age 24 during filming, portraying a younger character offered him extended career prospects. The official website described Dylan as tall and attractive, socially confident but somewhat self-centered, with comedic traits similar to those of Nick Smith.

Dylan arrives in Summer Bay when his mother Angie assumes the role of Deputy Principal. He begins dating Kirsty Sutherland; however, Angie disapproves after falsely claiming that Rhys Sutherland is Dylan’s father. Following an accident that leads to a blood test disproving this claim, Dylan distances himself from Angie and strengthens ties with the Sutherland family.

As Angie's mental health deteriorates and her behavior becomes erratic, Dylan plans to leave town with her. During a confrontation turned violent, he unintentionally causes her death. Initially suspected parties face charges until Dylan admits responsibility; he is subsequently arrested, released on bail, and moves away with his grandmother Monica Markham. He is ultimately acquitted at trial.

Later storylines see Dylan reconnecting with his half-sister Tasha Andrews and seeking out Angie’s lookalike cousin Josie Russell in the city amid Tasha's disappearance. The episode featuring Dylan’s confession earned a nomination for an Australian Writer's Guild Award in 2004.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Context
21 January – 13 March	Pete Sutherland	Christopher Mayer	Pete, sibling of Rhys Sutherland and father to Max, arrives in the Bay to reconnect with family. Burdened by gambling debts, he and Max flee but return later; Pete ultimately leaves Max in the care of Rhys and Shelley due to pressure from creditors.
22–24 January	Brian Alcott	Richard Healy	Brian, father of the deceased Miles Alcott, attends his son's coronal inquest. Following Alex Poulos' acquittal, Brian urges reconciliation with Miles' partner Brodie Hanson.
23 January	Mrs. Alcottt	Uncredited	Mother of Miles Alcott present at the inquest.
5–13 February	Justin Bell	Mitchell Eirth	Justin, facing homelessness and a history of shoplifting, becomes involved in disputes with Flynn Saunders and an alleged assault accusation; his mother Maggie attempts blackmail but is stopped by police.
5 February – 1 April	Patricia Morgan	Gennie Nevinson	Principal at Reefton Lakes High who clashes with Summer Bay High's principal over a potential school closure. She proposes a misleading plan favoring her institution until her son Ethan supports Summer Bay’s efforts.
6 February – 8 March	Maggie Bell	Helen O'Connor	Justin Bell’s mother who expels him for violent behavior and later unsuccessfully tries to blackmail Flynn Saunders.
11 February – 12 April	Grace O'Connor	Mary Docker	Nurse at Northern Districts Hospital caring for Justin Bell and Nick Smith; briefly dates Nathan Roberts before moving to Alice Springs.
18–20 February	Mr Atkins	David Webb	Lawyer representing Vinnie Patterson during his fraud trial; fails to prevent conviction.
19 February	Greg West	Dane Carson	Josh West’s father who encourages university attendance and later requests Josh manage his businesses due to illness.
20 February	Governor Williamson	Alistair Duncan	Judge who sentences Vinnie Patterson to two years imprisonment for fraud.
21 February – 8 April	Ethan Morgan	Ben Connolly	Student leader at Reefton Lakes High supporting protests against school closures; arrested during a sit-in but released because of a clean record.
25 February	Jenny Latham	Fiona Hepburn	Parole officer aiding Nathan Roberts in finding employment.
26 February–14 August 2012	Julie Cooper	Lisa Hayson-Phillips	Nurse at Northern Districts Hospital involved in major storylines such as Flynn Saunders’ death and a nurses' strike; falsely accused of murder but later exonerated.
27 February – 21 March	Christopher "Kick" Johnson	Jason Clarke	Exchange teacher from Reefton Lakes High whose unconventional teaching style conflicts with Donald Fisher; leaves following a student bus accident that deeply affects him.
7 March – 6 September	Kelli Edwards	Alyssa-Jane Cook	Local baker supplying Beachside Diner; ends relationship with Alex Poulos due to interference from ex-husband Jason Edwards.
12 March – 17 April	Jemma MacKinnon	Thea Gumbert	Hairdresser and friend of Kirsty Sutherland; after being expelled by her parents, she experiences homelessness but eventually returns home.
15 March – 13 September	Marie Peters	Cate Murray	Mother to Julius Peters.
28 March – 26 August	Riley Edwards	Issac Gorman	Son of Kelli Edwards.
	Brayden Edwards	Jamie Broadbent
5–30 April 2003	Jackie Turner	Julieanne Newbould	Journalist and mother of Josh West; supports coverage of school protests, assists in locating Dani Sutherland's father, and encourages Josh during family health issues.
17 April	Ray MacKinnon	Christopher Burke	Parent of Gemma MacKinnon; persuaded by Shelley Sutherland to allow their daughter's return home.
	Carmel MacKinnon	Meredith O'Reilly
19 April – 16 July	Aimee Cooper	Rhianna Griffith	Appears at drop-in centre and orienteering events; befriends local youth but her disruptive conduct leads to departure revealing a troubled background.
23 April – 8 May	Ryan Anderson	Damien Fowler	Youth associated with Donald Fisher who experiences bullying incidents.
23 May	Captain Ellis	Christopher Galletti	Captain of the Mirgini cruise ship during Summer Bay’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
27 June–4 May 2004	Caitlin	Bree Beadman	Schoolmate showing interest in Max Sutherland.
18 July – 5 September	Mav Patterson	Clayton Williams	Vinnie Patterson’s cousin; brief romance with Brodie Hanson ends when he leaves for Vietnam after tragedy involving Charlotte Adams.
1–27 August	Jason Edwards	Benj Daddario	Kelli Edwards’ ex-husband who harasses her; assaulted by Alex Poulos and Jesse McGregor; later reported for theft at the drop-in centre.
27 August – 6 September	Bernadette	Celia Ireland	Manager of Yabbie Creek RSL club who awards Colleen Smart a jackpot prize.
17 October–3 July 2003	Mikey Dunn	Trent Atkinson	Autistic student at Summer Bay High who bonds with Seb Miller and Sally Fletcher; leaves at year-end but returns briefly for Sally’s wedding and job opportunity before departing again.
17 October–3 July 2003	Mrs Dunn	Susan Kennedy	Mikey Dunn’s mother.
17 October	Kelvin Matthews	James Donnellan	Surf club gym patron who makes unwanted advances toward Hayley Smith; is assaulted by Jesse McGregor, who faces charges.
17–25 October	Tara	Rebecca Murphy	Former friend of Sally Fletcher asked to act as a surrogate mother; leaves after reconnecting with family following past tragedy.
6–12 November	Grigg	Amos Szeps	Jesse McGregor’s former cellmate who blackmails him and holds hostages before fleeing in Donald Fisher’s car; later found deceased inside the vehicle.