Fireflies

For Svettie, the little Russian housewife come drug dealer, life is about to take a drastic turn. An old business acquaintance, Kim Porter, turns up and convinces Svettie to invest in an aquaculture development. Believing she’s ultimately securing a future for her family, Svettie finds the confidence to revisit Val, the ‘Lender of Last Resort’, who gives her the $25,000 to invest in the venture. Svettie feels like she’s finally on a winner. It’s only when Jeff unknowingly bursts her bubble, that Svettie realises her gamble was too great. Lill and Perry have reached a standoff in their relationship. Not knowing where to turn, and going stir crazy in the shed, Perry suggests they take a bush walk. It begins reasonably well, but ends in a strange game of fantasy where Lill reveals more than she intended. Meanwhile, Rebekah fears that Kieran may end up in prison after it becomes clear that he is starting to toughen up like his older brother Hank. Rebekah puts pressure on Sharpie to get Kieran away from Hank’s influence. When news of a bar job in Queensland comes through, Rebekah finds herself having to face one of her biggest fears: saying goodbye to her son to save him.

Peg is back. Escaping from her nursing home, she makes a beeline for her house only to find it's been rented out to the new doctor and his family. When Peg lands on Lill's doorstep, Lill decides to champion her cause, but she doesn't know what she's let herself in for. Peg's not happy, so it's tantrums all round when she avails herself of Lill and Perry's, then Backa and Svettie's hospitality. It's hard enough for everyone without having a grumpy Peg Beecher in the equation. Backa is agonising over whether to sell the homestead paddock that his father's ashes are on: will it betray his father's memory? While Svettie sympathises with his dilemma she knows they need the money and pushes him accordingly. Backa visits Joey to ask his advice, but Joey is furious that Backa would even contemplate doing such a thing. Meanwhile Lill and Perry are still trying to patch up their relationship as best they can. Fifi comes home to find Hank acting even more suspiciously than usual, and when he hands her over some cash she knows something is going on. At dinner the next night, the Sharps hear of a bookie robbery over the radio. While everyone suspects Hank, nothing is said. Hank is full of bravado and when he destroys a piece of Joey's property, Fifi is pushed over the edge. She will be forced to choose between her new life with Joey and her family.

Backa dusts off his suit for a lunch meeting with the golf course developers. What Backa doesn’t know is that they need 40ha of Uncle Jeff’s property for their prospective resort. Backa is surprised to find an old school friend, Sam O’Donnell in attendance. Sam is consulting as a lawyer for the group and has been enlisted to get Backa to convince Jeff to sell. As the two men reminisce over old days, Backa learns the real reason he’s being wined and dined. And there’s a sweetener on offer-they’ll buy the craft shop if he talks Jeff into selling. But Backa’s father’s ashes have been scattered on part of the 40ha and he’s left with a real dilemma. Svettie is thrilled, thinking they’ll be rid of the shop once and for all. Lill decides to escape to a girls’ afternoon in the pool, but it’s no holiday. When the women start gossiping, Luisa learns that her affair with Mike was not a secret after all and she was not the only one-at least seven other women in town, including Ali! In the middle of the revelations, Lill’s business partner, KC, turns up with some bad news for Lill. KC has been offered a job on an older children’s novel that does not require illustrations and wants to put their partnership on hold. Lill’s career prospects seem suddenly shaky. While Lill’s out, Perry and Patto decide to get the mud brick palace moving. Needing a few more hands, they’re off to the fire station to recruit Joey and Eris and the boys have their own afternoon getting stuck in the mud.

Fifi has a new job at the Fire Control Centre and Joey is already doing the maths working out what sort of property they could buy with the extra money. For now though, they’ll have to put up with living at the Sharps-with little privacy and dealing with Hank on a daily basis. When Fifi takes a call about a factory fire, the Lost River brigade is quickly called out. Joey has just come in from a night shift on the prawn trawler but he’s determined to go straight out to fight the fire, much to Fifi’s concern. The factory is ablaze and the firies are stuck inside searching for a missing squatter and a dog. Joey is exhausted and stops for a moment too long, just as stored paint tins begin to explode. Fifi knows Joey is inside, but she is helpless on the other end of the line. The crews manage to drag themselves out, but with some bad news. Meanwhile, Lill realises there will be no changing Perry’s mind about having children, but she is not yet ready to give up on the idea for herself. If neither compromise, where will this lead? Things only get worse when Perry’s ex-wife, Janine, calls to say that Taz has run away from home to be with Hank. Perry and Janine revisit their roles as parents, going to the Sharps to find Taz in tears after Hank has rejected her. Lill gets home after a long day at the factory fire to find Perry and his first family ensconced in a domestic situation-it’s all a little too close for comfort for Lill. Suddenly a night on a bunk bed down at the fire station is looking like a mighty good alternative… Russell Newman|Peter Lamb|Helen O'Leary as Luisa, Bradley Byquar as Patto, Rhonda Doyle as Ali, Stephen Leeder as Bryce, Robert Carlton as Kevvie Holman, Mary Regan as Janine Luscombe, Karissa Lane as Skye, Andrew James as Brian Turnbull, Damian Eggleston as Attwood firie, Edmund Cinis as Carter, Keeara Byrnes as Candy

Lill and Svettie have been living it up at Lill's "Which Witch?" children's book launch in Sydney and are on a road trip back to Lost River. As the two women bond, Lill reveals information about herself that shocks Svettie and she begins to see Lill in a new light. Meanwhile Hank Sharp has also returned from Sydney, only this time he's not alone. With him are two dodgy looking 'mates' who are seen around town acting very suspiciously. Perry is angry at Hank for absconding from his weekly anger management sessions and threatens to report Hank to his parole officer. But Hank has a card up his sleeve, which involves blackmailing Perry for covering up the possibility that his daughter Taz may have been responsible for a hit and run car accident. Later Perry finds his car vandalised and during a confrontation with Hank about the matter, Hank then reveals he was seeing Taz in Sydney. It's the final insult for Perry, who angrily lunges at Hank, landing a clumsy punch to the side of his head. Hank is actually thrilled - it's just another piece of ammunition to use against his counsellor. Hank arrives back home to a family who are all a little wary of him. Especially once they realise that Hank and his sidekicks may be planning a crime. Fifi knows it will be impossible to stop her brother from continuing on his destructive path. It upsets her even more when she realises Hank is reeling Kieran into his world. For Fifi it marks a moment, which brings her closer to Joey and towards planning their future together as a new family unit.

Lill's newly published children's book arrives and she prepares to test it out on the kids of Lost River. Surrounded by children at play and talking through issues of motherhood with her female friends, Lill is forced to confront her desire for a child. But it's Perry who brings the matter out into the open when he asks Lill an important question about their relationship. Sharpie and Rebekah decide to get Joey and Fifi a new bed now that Joey has moved in with the Sharps. Sharpie does a deal with an old mate and scams a free bed for them. The 'honeymoon' period is short and sweet for Fifi and Joey but with a little peppermint oil, some vinegar and a new set of sheets, they sort themselves out and clear the air. The Twelfth Green Developments group holds a public meeting to address community concerns about the golf course and resort intended for Lost River. Backa and Svettie want to work with the developers, claiming the project will bring economic benefit to the town. Perry, Lill and especially Eris have a different take on the matter though, questioning the motives and plans of the consortium. Backa and Eris begin a public argument over the future of their town and community. But the two men have a reality check when they are called out to investigate a gas smell. What they discover puts everything into perspective.

After battling huge fires down the south coast, the firies return to Lost River. They might have been away for Christmas but they're determined to make up for it when they get home. Joey is on a mission, looking for steady work. He finds a job as a deck hand with the owner of a fishing trawler. After a few nights out at sea the two men bond and Joey gets some invaluable advice from his new boss that may help to turn his life around. He decides to give it one more try with Fifi and goes to her with a definite plan. Meanwhile, Fifi's career in the Rural Fire Service is under threat when she discovers that Sharpie and Svettie 'borrowed' a fire truck to water their cash crop. Backa smells a rat and gives Fifi a grilling. Will she give up her father and Svettie? Lill rushes home to be with Perry and get their relationship back on track, however, she's still hurt and subconsciously pushes him away, and he knows it; especially once he realises his wife is spending more time with the fire brigade than with him. When Backa and Lill are rostered on to do some routine work down at the station, what is meant to be a 30-minute job turns into an eternity when they are called out to a motor vehicle accident. Perry is drunk and angry when Lill returns home. Life is getting complicated. Word is out that developers are coming over the rise with a plan to build a giant golf course and resort and everyone must face the fact that their town may be changed forever.

In the midst of the Lost River Christmas carols, Backa gets a call. A Section 44 has been declared in Shoalhaven and Backa is asked to join a strike team travelling down to help fight the fires. Despite Svettie's unease and Carter's misery at his father leaving, Backa decides to take a crew. It doesn't take long to find volunteers - Joey, Eris, Luisa and Kieran are eager to depart. Lill, realising that seventy-two hours away would give her a break from Perry, is suddenly ready to sign up too. As the Lost River fire brigade prepares for a long hot Christmas away, their families prepare to celebrate as best they can without their loved ones. Svettie can't shake off a feeling of impending doom and it's only made worse when Sharpie informs her their cash crop is dying from lack of rain. They devise a plan to get much needed water to their plantation, but it's one that involves 'borrowing' a big red fire truck. The Lost River brigade is keen for action, but when they arrive down south, they're told to stand by and wait. With a bit of time on their hands, it is the action off the fire ground that is the focus of attention, and there is a surprise moment of passion between two of our favourite firies. Some strategic planning pays off for Backa when the Lost River crew is able to save property and lives.

It's the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and the fourth anniversary of the death of Jeff's teenage son Damien. It's always been a long day for Jeff and today is no different as he wakes with a feeling of dread and sadness. Things only get worse when Damien's old girlfriend Fifi arrives at the house to present Jeff with Damien's battered old guitar which she's held on to for all this time. Jeff receives the guitar in bad grace and continues to alienate the remaining family he has around him - particularly Joey, who asks Jeff if he can have some cattle he has been promised. Jeff refuses his nephew's request, as always, in an attempt to control his destiny. However, with a little strategic advice and help from older brother Backa, Joey takes back what is rightly his. On a mission from hell, Jeff clashes bitterly with Svettie insisting that young Carter is sent to boarding school instead of the local Fox Cove High. But Svettie is resolute; she wants her son beside her always. Meanwhile Lill is doing her best to avoid her own relationship problems. She abandons her home for the day, seeking a bit of light relief with the Lost River firies, particularly Joey. Perry is also struggling with his relationship and takes his tension out on his P.A.

In a last bid attempt to save her failing shop and keep her family together Svettie has borrowed a large amount of cash from a loan shark. But she's keeping it a secret from Backa, telling him the sudden injection of funds has come from the sale of some milking machinery stored in their back shed. Now they're on easy street, for a while at least. In a mood to celebrate Backa and Svettie have the best day they've had in months, even years! The day soon heats up toward boiling point. At the Sharp's a lazy summer barbecue descends into chaos. Eldest son Hank has returned to Lost River and he's ready to cause as much trouble as possible - especially for Fifi. Hank can't forgive the fact that his younger sister is now all grown up and responsible and pushes to find the bad girl he farewelled when he went to jail three years ago. When Rolly Patterson arrives mid-party and makes a beeline for Fifi it seems Hank might get to see the old Fifi after all. There are others for Hank to 'play' with too, in the shape of Kieran and his girlfriend Noodle and when Perry's daughter Taz turns up, it's open season... Perry and Lill arrive at the scene to pick up a distraught Taz and it leaves Perry with a sinking feeling. Is he ready to become a parent the second time around? For Lill, one of the core promises of their relationship has been broken.

A mine field discovered near a Southern village in Israel brings out to the open some buried stories.