Millicent Staples

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
Website	7plus.com.au/home-and-away

Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that premiered on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. This compilation highlights characters introduced throughout 1989, all under the guidance of executive producer Des Monaghan. The show's second season commenced on 23 January 1989. The initial character introduced that year was Martha Stewart in January, followed by the schoolgirl Vicki Baxter (portrayed by Nana Coburn) in February. In April, Rebecca Fisher made her debut, with Emily Symons joining the cast as Marilyn Chambers in May. June marked the birth of Duncan Stewart, the first child of Alf and Ailsa. Two weeks later, Mat Stevenson assumed the role of Adam Cameron. July saw the arrival of Mouche Phillips as Viv Newton, while September introduced Dannii Minogue playing Emma Jackson.

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart was initially portrayed by Alison Mulvaney from 25 January to 13 February 1989, appearing as Alf Stewart's (Ray Meagher) first wife through flashback sequences. The character was brought back on 27 March 2018 with Belinda Giblin recast in the role; Giblin had previously appeared on the series in 1991. According to reports, Meagher recommended Giblin for this part, describing her as "the perfect choice." Martha holds the distinction for the longest interval between appearances on Home and Away.

Her reappearance coincided with the program’s 30th anniversary celebrations. It was disclosed that Martha had not died as once believed but had vanished due to her dissatisfaction with life circumstances. Their daughter Roo (Georgie Parker) initially struggles to locate her mother until Martha arrives independently in Summer Bay. After a call from Alf, Martha and Alf rekindle their romantic relationship despite her diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), which contributes to anxiety and complicates her personal connections.

Martha was wed to Alf Stewart and is mother to their daughter Ruth "Roo" Stewart (originally played by Justine Clarke). Thought to have drowned in a sailing mishap in 1985, she first appeared through flashbacks when Bobby Simpson read diary entries searching for her biological parents. It was revealed that Martha had known Alf’s sister Morag Bellingham was Bobby’s mother and had arranged for Bobby’s adoption.

Years later, believing he might not survive after an explosion, Alf confides to Roo that Martha is alive. Martha visits Summer Bay House and meets Ryder Jackson but departs before reuniting with Alf and Roo. She explains her absence was related to difficulties connecting with Roo due to BPD and fear of confronting her condition despite undergoing treatment. Roo informs Martha about her own daughter named after her and invites Martha to dinner with Alf; although Martha misses the dinner, she later reaches out with apologies.

Several months later, following a brief phone call from Alf, Martha returns to Summer Bay but initially faces rejection. Alf admits he has missed her, leading to a romantic reconciliation that includes painting his portrait and spending quality time together. Martha experiences anxiety linked to BPD but finds relief after interacting with Roo. She plans to return home but eventually moves back permanently, accepting Alf’s proposal to cohabit.

Initially challenged by adjustment issues, Martha seeks professional support for her mental health. After learning about Mason Morgan’s and Robbo’s deaths, Alf proposes marriage again; after some hesitation, Martha agrees. They marry and briefly leave before resuming life balancing residences in Marimbula and Summer Bay—her Marimbula studio serving as a sanctuary during BPD episodes.

Martha confides in Irene Roberts about her son Kieran Baldivis (Rick Donald), whom she has not seen for years but who wishes to reconnect. She reveals this secret to Alf and Roo, fearing their loss of trust if they discovered it earlier. Kieran soon arrives in Summer Bay.

Martha primarily resides in Merimbula while Alf frequently visits.

Vicki Baxter

Vicki Baxter, brought to life by Nana Coburn, made her first appearance on 22 February 1989. Coburn's father, Norman Coburn, was also part of the cast, playing the role of Summer Bay High's headmaster, Donald Fisher. David Brown from TV Week referred to Vicki as "the local troublemaker of Summer Bay." Although Coburn initially had reservations about portraying a villainous character, she eventually embraced the role. She maintained a semi-regular presence on the show and filmed her concluding scenes in June 1990, which notably included a memorable altercation with Dannii Minogue.

Within Steven Matheson's class at Summer Bay High, Vicki acted as an antagonist, frequently bullying peers and clashing with Emma Jackson. After falsely accusing teacher Grant Mitchell of sexual misconduct—leading to his suspension—Emma compelled Vicki to admit the truth. Subsequently, Vicki retaliated by framing Emma for exam paper theft, causing Emma’s expulsion. With assistance from her cousin Anna, Steven and Paul Jensen uncovered Vicki’s manipulations. Ultimately, Vicki faced expulsion herself.

Rebecca Fisher

Rebecca Fisher, initially portrayed by Jane Hall, debuted on 3 April 1989 as the daughter of principal Donald Fisher. During her time in Summer Bay, she became romantically involved with Steven Matheson. The producers noted strong chemistry between Hall and Adam Willits and contemplated bringing Rebecca back periodically. The character was later recast: Danielle Carter took over for a seven-week period in 1994, followed by Belinda Emmett in 1996.

Belinda Emmett’s interpretation earned her a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent in 1997, along with subsequent nominations for Most Popular Actress in both 1998 and 1999. Additionally, she received a Gold Logie nod for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.

Marilyn Chambers

Marilyn Chambers, played by Emily Symons, was introduced on 18 May 1989. Symons departed from the series in 1992 but returned for a run from 1995 through 1999. Dannii Minogue originally auditioned for Marilyn but was ultimately cast as Emma Jackson, allowing Symons to assume the role of Marilyn. Holy Soap described Marilyn as a "bubbly" and "dizzy blonde beautician."

Duncan Stewart

Duncan Stewart first appeared on 14 June 1989, portrayed by Brendan McKensy. McKensy’s performance earned him a nomination for Best Young Actor at the 1999 Inside Soap Awards.

Adam Cameron

Adam Cameron, portrayed by Mat Stevenson, made his debut on 28 June 1989. Prior to this role, Stevenson had guest-starred on rival soap Neighbours as the minor criminal Skinner. He relocated from Melbourne to Sydney to take on this part. Stevenson left Home and Away in 1994 but returned briefly in 1999 for guest appearances. He described Adam as "somewhat of a layabout" who favors relaxation over responsibility—a contrast to his own more dependable personality. Inside Soap characterized Adam as a "former joker" and "carefree individual." In 1999, Stevenson expressed enthusiasm about potentially returning full-time after enjoying his guest stint.

Viv Newton

Viv Newton, brought to life by Mouche Phillips, made her first appearance on 5 July 1989 and departed on 25 May 1990. Phillips began filming soon after the departure of Justine Clarke. In an interview with Look-in, she mentioned that she enjoyed keeping active on set, frequently moving about, which often made it difficult for others to find her.

Emma Jackson

Emma Jackson, portrayed by Dannii Minogue, entered the series on 22 September 1989 and exited on 22 August 1990. Although Minogue initially auditioned for the role of Marilyn Chambers, she was ultimately cast as Emma. After a year on the show, she left to pursue her music career. Despite rumors of a comeback for the series’ 20th anniversary in 2008, she did not return. Minogue earned a nomination for "Most Popular Actress on Australian Television" at the 1989 Logie Awards, and Holy Soap listed her among Home and Away's "Sexiest girls ever."

Others

26 October–15 November||Rory Heywood || Gregor Jordan || Visitor searching for Fletcher family under false identity; annoys locals before being killed by shark; storyline noted as favorite by Judy Nunn. 30 October–2 November|||Mick|||Bruce Samazan||| Drug-addicted friend of Andrew Foley staying with him and Stacey Macklin; causes trouble leading Stacey to end relationship. 31 October|||Chas|||Richard Huggett||| Pool player hustled by Mick leading Lance Smart and Martin Dibble into plans against Mick's skill at The Corner Pocket pool hall. 17 November|||Rosemary White|||Zoe Bertram||| Rory Heywood's sister revealing his true identity Colin following his death, interacting with Fletcher family. 21 November 1989–22 January 1990|||Zac Burgess|||Mark Conroy||| Shark hunter demanding payment for capture efforts; uncovers illegal dumping attracting sharks; falsely implicated in affair causing marital strain between Pippa and Tom Fletcher before being exposed and leaving town. 12 December|||Drew Howard|||Ignatius Jones||| Producer on game show "Cheap Shots" collaborating with Marilyn Chambers attempting to exploit Lance Smart and Martin Dibble on national TV but ends up humiliated by Marilyn.

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Notes
25 January	Les Palmer	Graham Lancaster	Celia Stewart’s late fiancé featured in 1970 flashbacks; their engagement celebration ends tragically as Les dies in the Vietnam War.
26 January–16 March	Nicholas Walsh	Robert Taylor	Visitor to Summer Bay engaged to Stacey Macklin; attempts to acquire the caravan park, sends poison pen letters, and assaults Stacey before being stopped by Tom Fletcher.
1 February–5 September	Kim Patterson	Jacqui Townsend	Younger sibling of Alison and Mav Patterson; attends Summer Bay Primary and uncovers Morag Bellingham’s memoir manuscript with Sally Fletcher.
13 February–20 March	Richard Bellingham	John Bonney	Morag Bellingham’s husband for twenty years; their separation follows revelation of Morag's maternity secret; warns Roo Stewart to keep distance before departing.
20 February–21 November	James Donahue	Richard Morgan	Journalist from The Daily Star investigating Morag’s secret; manipulates Celia Stewart for information and convinces Lance Smart to fabricate a shark sighting.
22 February–5 April	Leanne Dunn	Kylie Foster	Dates Martin Dibble, who attempts to end their relationship by introducing her to his rough family; illiterate at first, she learns to read from Matt Wilson; after conflicts involving ex-boyfriend Meat Axe, she leaves Martin heartbroken.
1 March–12 November	Enid	Jan Oxenbould	Friend of Celia Stewart who participates in a town meeting regarding a shark threat near the beach.
8 March	Nola Dibble	Denise Roberts	Mother of Martin Dibble; meets Leanne Dunn during a family dinner arranged by Martin.
8 March	Scott Dibble	Uncredited	Brother of Martin Dibble appearing at family gathering.
8 March	Errol Dibble	Uncredited	Another brother of Martin Dibble present at family dinner.
21 March–24 May	Nigel Taggart	Gary Down	Morag Bellingham’s former assistant despite blindness; befriends Celia Stewart but resigns seeking independence.
28 March	Ross Maybury	John Banas	Host of 'The World Tonight' talk show featuring Donald Fisher and Bobby Simpson discussing a novel and revealing Morag’s maternity secret.
4–5 April	Meat Axe	Joseph Dicker	Leanne Dunn’s ex-boyfriend confronts Martin Dibble over dating Leanne, leading to a fight halted by Leanne before she leaves with Meat Axe.
18 April–17 August 1989, 8 September–23 October 1995	Brian "Dodge" Forbes	Kelly Dingwall	Schemes for free food and steals money, culminating in arson that kills Philip Matheson; taken in as a Fletcher foster child, bullies Sally Fletcher, frames Simon Yates for arson; confesses and is imprisoned for murder; paroled in 1995, kills 'Mud' Roberts, frames Steven Matheson for murder, kidnaps Kelly Watson, then disappears after cliffside confrontation.
20 April–16 May	Simon Yates	Christopher Saunders	Ex-convict working at Bayside diner who dates Roo Stewart despite warnings; harassed by Steven Matheson and framed by Dodge Forbes for arson; leaves town after bail release.
2–9 May	Andrew Foley Senior	Alan Tobin	Estranged father seeking reconciliation with Andrew Foley before his death; leaves an inheritance and apology letter.
10 May 1989 – 22 February 1990	Howard West	Richard Rowe	Childcare Services official overseeing Dodge Forbes’ foster placement and investigating John Newton’s abuse allegations; suspends Donald Fisher’s guardianship of Viv Newton during murder investigation but reinstates it after exoneration.
11 May	Peter Braithwaite	Ron Blanchard	Insurance assessor suspicious of Celia Stewart's inflated claim following store fire.
18–29 May	Kyoko Sakamoto	Yuka Mitani	Interpreter assisting Japanese clients visiting the Macklin family on business matters.
2–8 June	Peter Bedford	Bevan Wilson	Investor in Macklin development initially reluctant due to Frank Morgan's background but persuaded by Martin Dibble to sign contract.
2 June	Claire Bedford	Linda Anning	Wife of investor Peter Bedford attending dinner with Fletcher family.
8 June–18 July	Flynn	Mark McCann	Laborer for Macklin corporation involved in strike negotiations mediated by Roo Stewart; helps rescue Marilyn Chambers.
13 June	Jay Everett	Andrew Doyle	Motivational speaker temporarily managing Macklin development office; positively influences Martin Dibble but fails during Roo Stewart's family crisis.
6 July–13 September	Nina Olivera	Raquel Suarstzman	Friend of Stacey Macklin who forms music group Image with Lance Smart, Martin Dibble, and Marilyn Chambers; departs after securing promotion job in Los Angeles.
11 July	Beulah	Robyn Gurney	Homeless woman who supports Viv Newton during her time living on the streets.
19 July	Sgt. Col Baker	Simon Westaway	Police officer questioning Dodge Forbes about stolen car accident; Steven Matheson takes blame.
21 July–1 August	John Newton	John Gregg	Reverend and abusive father of Viv and Tammy Newton; imprisons Viv in cupboard until locals rescue her; loses custody after social services intervene following Tammy's escape.
27 July 1989 – 25 May 1990	Tammy Newton	Katy Edwards	Younger sister of Viv Newton manipulated by their father John; escapes abuse to reunite with Viv and mother Angela Newton; moves to Queensland with family.
9 August 1989 – 16 April 1990	Rex Wilson	Barry Donnelly	Matt Wilson’s uncle and local council member who employs Matt as beach inspector; closes Andrew Foley's advice centre; resigns following heart attack.
9 August	Freddie Hudson	Mark Arbib	Student visiting Andrew Foley's Youth advice centre at Bayside diner.
18–31 August	Ross Keating	James Gleeson	Sally Keating’s estranged uncle seeking custody; invites Sally to live with him but she chooses Fletchers instead; leaves town with wife Louise Keating.
23–31 August	Louise Keating	Felicity Soper	Ross Keating's wife unable to have children due to cancer; supports Sally but respects her decision to remain with Fletchers before departing town.
29 August 1989, 23 March 1990	Len Baxter	Uncredited / Damian Cudmore	Vicki Baxter’s father who reacts angrily when Vicki falsely accuses teacher Grant Mitchell of molestation, demanding his removal from school.
29 August–10 November	Danny Farnsworth	Justin Connor	Son of Gordon Farnsworth seeking revenge on Morag Bellingham for sentencing his father; infiltrates her life under false pretenses; holds Morag hostage before fleeing town after intervention by Bobby Simpson and Donald Fisher.
30 August 1989 – 8 July 1996	Chris Hale	John Meillon Jr.	Police constable involved in multiple cases including arrests of Andrew Foley and Shane Parrish; promoted sergeant; responsible for hit-and-run causing Shane's death; confesses under guilt and is suspended.
11 September	Doctor Ellis	Marilyn Allen	Hospital doctor arranging Tom Fletcher's transfer following heart attack.
11 September	Doctor Williamson	David Whitford	City doctor diagnosing Tom Fletcher with intracerebral haematoma.
18–21 September	Ian McTavish	Noel Trevarthen	Scottish explorer searching for mythical "Summer Bay Bunyip"; departs after discovering it is a hoax involving Martin Dibble in costume.
20 September	Samantha Walker	Fiona Shannon	Youth worker informing Ailsa Stewart about niece Emma Jackson's desire to live with her, revealing estranged family ties.
11–12 October	Millicent Staples	Julie Haseler	Wealthy young woman booking charter cruise with Adam Cameron; strands him on remote island after deceiving him about companions' departure.
11 October	Henry Whiting	Patrick Ward	Owner of local hot dog stand sold to Celia Stewart after Lance Smart and Martin Dibble's offer declined.
25 October	Sylvia Wilson	Marie Armstrong	Rex Wilson’s wife seen at Stewart store during council dispute over hot dog stand closure.

External links

• Cast and characters on the Official Australian Home and Away site
• Cast and characters on the Official UK Home and Away site
• Cast and characters at the Internet Movie Database