Coming up on Home and Away in Australia, as Irene comes up with a drastic solution to help Bronte, Dana’s suspicions land her in danger.
Dana (Ally Harris) is about to face further consequences of moving to Summer Bay, as she’s subjected to her second abduction in the space of a year! It’s all thanks to Dana’s new housemate at the Beach House, Bronte Langford (Stefanie Caccamo), who Irene (Lynne McGranger) recently met whilst away in the city for a month having her annual health-check. Having been introduced to Harper (Jessica Redmayne), Bronte explained that Irene had approached her after seeing she was upset in the hospital waiting room, and that she had poured her heart out to her.
Irene later explained to Harper that Bronte was very sick, and was undergoing tests for an autoimmune disorder.
Irene had brought Bronte back to the bay figuring that a few days of sea air could do her some good, allowing her to stay in a fourth bedroom that seems to have re-materialised at the Beach House.
Bronte was suitably impressed when Irene later took her to the diner, with Irene explaining that she co-owned the business with Leah (Ada Nicodemou).
Although Harper seemed to have some some niggling doubts, it didn’t take long for viewers to have any suspicions about Bronte confirmed. Bronte offered to do what she could between appointments to contribute towards rent and bills, but Irene wouldn’t hear of it. She then subtly brought up in conversation that there was an experimental treatment in Canada for her condition, but that the prohibitive costs meant it was far out of reach. Irene pushed her for details, with Bronte explaining that it would be getting on for $100,000. Irene lay awake that night mulling things over, and the next day announced to Bronte that she was going to help her find the money somehow. Bronte’s plan was working…
Meanwhile, the diner was thrown into chaos last week when it was discovered that the water supply had become contaminated. When John (Shane Withington) collapsed on the beach shortly after he and Dana had opened a washed up container of potting mix, everyone had assumed that it had contained something toxic.
But when Bree (Juliet Godwin) eventually received word that the contents of the container were harmless, Marilyn (Emily Symons) and customers at the diner also began falling ill. It was only then that Bree realised they’d been looking in the wrong place for the answers.
After the biohazard team investigated, Leah was told that a leaking pipe had caused some benzine, which was in the surrounding insulation, to leach into the water system.
Irene and Leah were faced with a costly decontamination process, as well as the damage to their reputation after the closure was reported on the front page of the Coastal News.