McLeod’s Daughters

Saturday January 3, 8.30pm

Grace, Jaz, Marcus and Frank head off to the city to confront the Minister responsible for a dam proposal that will take away their ground water. Marcus manages to get in to see Ayres and arranges a meeting for later that day. But instead of the face to face they’d imagined, Ayres leads them directly into a press conference. They’ve been set up. Grace is furious but it’s Frank who takes it to heart. Before they can stop him he goes off on a personal tirade, blaming Ayres for the loss of his farm and family. The media turn their cameras on Frank and his emotional outburst becomes the story of the day.

Furious with Frank, Grace and Marcus head off to cool down. Jaz defends Frank and takes him under her wing. Marcus takes Grace to the footy ground where his career went bung, and she learns more about his days as a footballer. As they leave they discover that Ayres will be at that ground tomorrow to open a stand.

Jaz and Frank deal with the fall out from Frank’s outburst. Not only is the story now about protestor “crackpots”, Lily’s mum rings and tells him she doesn’t want Lily to see him that night. Jaz tries to cheer Frank up, but somehow a friendly hug turns into a kiss. Grace returns to the room to spring them mid-kiss. She and Marcus have to retire to Frank’s car to sleep for the night.

Next morning at the footy ground, the gang turn the tables on Ayres, and deluge his car with pages of their petition, in front of the cameras. He’s forced to announce that he’ll tour the areas which will be adversely affected by the dam. And Marcus finally dispels the curse of the last football game he played.

B Story: Marcus tasks Ben to move a herd of cattle to a particular paddock while he’s in the city. Stevie overhears Ben telling Patrick to move the cows to a different paddock, and her fears about him being no good as an overseer are confirmed.

Stevie demands Patrick follow Marcus’ orders. Then Ben, out riding the endurance horse, which he has been asked not to do, discovers the cows have been moved, gives Patrick a serve. Before Patrick can defend himself, the endurance horse is spooked and gallops away. Stevie finds out about the lost horse and, feeling hugely guilty, drops everything to help find it. When Ben discovers her role in the day’s events he is furious. Night falls and they still haven’t found the horse.

The next day, Taylor and Moira discover the horse. Ben takes him back but is still mad at Stevie. Stevie apologises and explains that she just doesn’t want him to leave.

C Story: Phil gives Moira a gift, the script of his musical – “The Girl from Gungellan”. Moira reads it and is impressed. But when Phil tells her the main character is based on her, she is overwhelmed.

D Story: It’s Stevie and Alex’s first wedding anniversary but Stevie wants to forget about it. Moira dresses Xander in pink to help Stevie with her grieving. Stevie leads the others in a toast to Alex.

Wednesday, August 6 at 8.30pm

Stevie’s wild-at-heart former rodeo mate Sharon visits Drovers and turns everyone’s lives upside down. Marcus sacrifices his chances in a major horse endurance race to save Ingrid from an abusive rider. Kate is feeling increasingly dissatisfied with her life, and throws herself into her new role as overseer. But is this enough for her? Stevie’s wild-at-heart former rodeo mate Sharon visits Drovers and turns everyone’s lives upside down.

Marcus sacrifices his chances in a major horse endurance race to save Ingrid from an abusive rider. Kate is feeling increasingly dissatisfied with her life, and throws herself into her new role as overseer. But is this enough for her?

Wednesday, July 30 at 8.30pm

Grace and Marcus are trapped at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft. Will help arrive before Grace succumbs to hypothermia?

Kate helps Father Dan by caring for a cantankerous elderly woman, who makes her life a misery – but also has some useful advice for grieving Kate.

Tayler is nervous about taking her relationship with Patrick to the next level Phil goes to extreme lengths to woo back Moira.

McLeod’s Daughters, Australia’s most popular and successful rural drama, promises to go out in a season of great stories when it returns for its eighth and last series on Wednesday, July 23 at the new time of 8.30pm on Channel Nine.

Since its 1996 telemovie debut which produced the Logie Award-winning series, McLeod’s Daughters has captured a unique portrait of life on the land for women, with all its hardship, beauty and romance.

Shot entirely on location in Kingsford, South Australia, the series centres on the vast cattle property Drovers Run and the lives and loves of the women who work it.

“For everyone who loves Mcleod’s Daughters lots of treats await in this final series. It’s been a great ride and we’re thrilled it is going out on a high,” said creator and executive producer, Posie Graeme-Evans

The final series opens with the shocking news that someone is missing after the terrifying car accident involving Grace (Abi Tucker), Riley (Dustin Clare), Tayler (Gillian Alexy) and Patrick (Luke Jacobz) that closed out the last series.

This season the program will welcome some new and interesting faces, including guest stars Martin Lynes (All Saints) and Alex Cook (Love My Way), a father and daughter who desperately need help from the women of Drovers Run.

Grace’s sister, Jaz McLeod, (Edwina Ritchard) returns with a dark secret. Can the sisters overcome their differences for the good of Drovers Run? And when Stevie’s cousin, Ben Hall, (John Schwarz) arrives to lend a helping hand he sets hearts racing.

Romance is in the air as new couples hook up and old ones reunite, while a love triangle causes havoc for the women.

The birth of Stevie (Simmone Jade Mackinnon) and Alex’s (Aaron Jeffery) baby brings happiness and joy, but is tragedy just around the corner?

This series will also feature an all-singing and dancing musical episode, and some familiar characters return to Drovers Run as well.

McLeod’s Daughters has been sold internationally to the Hallmark Network and screens in 200 territories around the world. The series is a co-production between Millennium Television and Nine Films and Television, produced with the assistance of the South Australian Film Corporation.

Begin a fond farewell to a longtime TV favourite as the last series of McLeod’s Daughters returns Wednesday, July 23 at 8.30pm on Channel Nine.

Kate’s weird dream

Kate has a strange dream where she’s been chasing by something and falls into the safety of Mitch’s arms and they kiss but she turns into a cat. She wakes up to discover Turbo has been attacked, it looks like a big cat running off!

A panther killing stock?

The girls find animals have been killed on the farm. Riley and Mitch have had the same problem. They even see a dead sheep up a tree. Everything points to a big cat on the prowl.

The hunt is on…

That night, everyone is out hunting. Mitch gets a suprise and almost attacks Kate accidentally. Stevie and Grace shoot two wild dogs, but they aren’t the cause of the dead animals. Dogs couldn’t drag a dead cow.

Mitch’s dark side

Riley discovers that Mitch is selling stolen weapons on the black market and kicks him out.

Kate and Mitch’s romance

Kate and Mitch kiss. He explains to her that he has post traumatic stress disorder from being in Timor. She doesn’t know about the weapons and they spend the night together.

The police turn up for Mitch

Ashleigh tips off the police about Mitch. She fires Riley when he lies about where Mitch is.

Tayler breaks into a safe

Desperate for the pay she’s owed, Phil jokes she’ll have to break into the safe and get it herself. Patrick and Tayler secretly open the safe. There’s no money inside, just documents and a property survey of Drovers Run!

Heath and Marcus compete for Grace

It’s game on between Heath and Marcus competing for Grace’s heart. Who will win?

The wetlands project causes problems

Grace’s big weed project to help with the drought causes problems when Killarney gets an infestation of weeds and the stock has to be moved. Stevie is put in a tough position when asked by Marcus to have words to Grace about the weeds.

Stevie and Grace argue

Stevie and Grace have a massive argument and neither wants to budge about the wetlands project. Stevie almost decides to move over to Killarney permanently.

Finally they manage a compromise: they’ll work together to try and find another location for the wetlands project.

Love triangle: Patrick has fallen for Ashleigh but she’s after Riley

Patrick has it bad for Ashleigh, and even sells some of his gear to buy her jewellery! Tayler is worried about him being used by her, since Ashleigh is after Riley. Riley, however, says he’s not interested in her. She’s not about to give up that easily.

Tayler discovers Ashleigh’s secret

Tayler’s not impressed when she discovers Ashleigh was the one who dobbed them into the NRMO!!!

Moira and Phil break up

Moira breaks up with Phil when she finds out that he’s been the one spreading rumours about the weed project!

A new love interest for Kate: Mitch

When Riley’s friend Mitch (back from his army days) turns up wanting a job, it looks like love at first sight for Mitch and Kate! But is there more to him than meets the eye?

Tayler’s bad gift

Tayler gets a cute teddy bear as a cheer up gift for Rose. What she doesn’t realise is that the bear has some jewellery hidden inside it thanks to a couple of thieves named Gaz and Arnie! It’s Ashleigh’s family jewellery! They try and grab it back off her but since the police are there, Tayler gets it.

Rose doesn’t even want the teddy bear in the end. Patrick finds the jewellery inside the bear and wants to give it to the police but Tayler doesn’t want to.

An explosion

Of course, Gaz and Arnie want to get their stash back and try a number of approaches, including faking being pest control and even exploding a fuel drum on the farm!!! The girls race off to see what’s going on, leaving Rose alone inside to be harassed by the thieves.

Tayler comes to Rose’s rescue and they eventually manage to trap the thieves down in the basement.

Grace helps Ashleigh

Ashleigh tells Grace that she had actually taken the jewellery from Bryce (worried that if he died it would be liquidated) so even she can’t tell the police it was stolen! Grace can appreciate her position after her own similar situation and helps her out by pretending the jewellery was hers and getting it back from the police. Ashleigh thanks Grace.

Grace and Heath

Heath helps Grace with her wetland by giving her some weeds. Are Grace and Heath going to be a proper couple?

Rose walks again

Finally Rose is able to walk again! Stevie and Rose have a heart-to-heart about her feelings and fears.

Australian air date: Wednesday 8 August 2007

Michala Banas, who plays Kate Manfredi on McLeod’s Daughters, is quitting the show after nearly four years.

Her character Kate will leave Drovers Run next year.

A Spark from Heaven – by Christopher D. Hawkshaw
1/08/07

Gabe, an angel, brings wisdom and healing to the girls.

Wishing on a star

The girls are outside at night sharing a picnic, beers and cooling their feet in the bath, waiting for Stevie to get back from visiting Rose.

The weather forecast is for more hot dry weather. They joke about rain dancing in the nude.

When Stevie returns, she tells them that Rose is a bit low and she gets the last of the test results tomorrow.

They look up and suddenly they see a meteor shower and decide to make wishes. Tayler wishes for Rose to be well again and for it to rain. Stevie wants Rose to walk again and for Alex to be here to see her do it. Grace wishes for a man who doesn’t run away and a decent night’s sleep. Moira wishes for a little more understanding and less arguing. Kate wishes for something exciting, something new.

Gabe (an angel!) arrives to drill their bore

The girls work on redirecting the creek so that when it rains again, the water won’t run through so fast and are spreading the weeds out.

They look up to see a bore driller named Gabe (played by Kiwi Jay Laga’aia) turns up. The girls are confused since they hadn’t booked one. He says someone called him. They suppose it was Stevie. He says he’s the answer to their prayers.

Rose has psychsomatic paralysis

At the hospital, Rose is told that the swelling has gone completely and there’s no sign of permanent damage. Rose still can’t walk or feel her legs and is desperate to go home. The doctor tells Stevie that it’s psychosomatic paralysis – it’s in her mind, there’s something else going on. Stevie can’t believe it. Rose needs a full assessment by a psychiatric registrar in a few days’ time. Meantime, Stevie takes her home.

Gabe introduces himself to Rose when she comes back and carries her inside.

Tayler and Stevie try cheer up Rose, but Gabe says she just needs to see more of the sky and opens up the windows before going off to work on the bore.

Gabe’s also a water diviner and wants to look for a new spot for the bore. Kate questions his knowledge.

Grace and Heath talk about “the kiss”

Marcus comes over and offers cheap hay to the girls from Heath Barrett who is back in town. Grace is awkward at the mention of Heath and heads back to work.

Later, Grace goes to visit Heath.

Grace: “Nice trip? You could have called… about the hay, but I guess sending a lackey is more your style. So what, I’m second best? You were keeping your options open? Looking out for something better? You kiss me and then bugger off for a month. No phone call, nothing. But that’s just your style, right?”

Heath: “Hang on, you kissed me!”

Grace: “Please, I just went along with it!”

Heath: “I had no idea it meant that much to you. You’ve been thinking about me all this time?”

Grace: “In your dreams!”

Heath: “No, I think you’ve dreamt about me.”

Grace: “Look, as far as snogs go, it was ordinary. But, a real man would follow up at least once.”

Heath: “So the hay deal?”

Grace: “I’m going to keep my options open.”

Does Rose want to die?

Tayler tries to teach Rose a card game but Rose just wants to go for a drive, without Stevie knowing.

When Tayler gets the picnic gear out of the back of the car, the car suddenly starts rolling down a hill and straight into a tree. Tayler comes running yelling and is totally freaked out. Rose is ok but crying.

Later, Patrick checks out the car – the radiator has been damaged. He’s amazed that Rose didn’t get killed and thinks someone must be watching over them. Tayler assumes the brakes failed and thinks it’s all her fault.

Marcus comes to talk more to Grace about the hay but the deal isn’t going to happen. Gabe tells Grace about some other cheap hay and says her weed strategy is right on the money.

Stevie fires Tayler, temporarily

Tayler tells Stevie about the trip with Rose. Stevie is furious and fires her, telling her she never wants to see her again.

Grace chases after Tayler and says Stevie will calm down and forgive her. Grace says it’s not her fault and to stick around.

Grace convinces Stevie she overreacted and to talk to her in the morning.

Gabe talks with Tayler about the accident. The handbrake isn’t broken. Gabe encourages her to find out more about what happened with Rose.

Patrick comes over to see Tayler. She tells him she’s sure Rose caused the accident but can’t figure out how to tell Stevie that her daughter is suicidal.

Tayler goes and asks Rose if she took the handbrake off. Rose denies it and tells her to get out.

Stevie rehires Tayler. Tayler finally tells a shocked Stevie that it was Rose who took the handbrake off and needs help.

Stevie tells Rose they’re going to see the doctor tomorrow. Rose doesn’t want to talk to her or anyone and would rather die than not walk again. Stevie says she has to be brave and not give up. Rose bursts into tears and they hug. Stevie promises her they will get through this.

Moira sees an angel

Moira checks out the car for Tayler – nothing is wrong with the handbrake. Tayler tells Moira she thinks Rose took it off to hurt herself but is scared of telling Stevie.

Moira sees a silhouette of an angel against the barn wall and turns around to see Gabe, dressed in white.

“Sorry, did I frighten you?” he says. He takes her hand and everything goes into slow motion.

“Who are you? You’re here for Rose, aren’t you? Are you here to help her or take her away? Please, leave.”

“Not yet,” he says before walking off.

That night, Moira is freaked out about Gabe being an angel. Phil doesn’t believe her. The next morning, she’s mad – it’s one more thing she can’t discuss with him.

Gabe turns up for morning tea and Moira’s surprised he eats. He says Phil will learn to appreciate her, sooner than she thinks.

Later, Phil brings some flowers over to Moira but sees Gabe disappearing in front of him. When Moira turns up, Phil is in shock. “Believe me now?” she says.

Kate’s promised a bright future

Riley invites Kate out to a dart competition but she makes excuses. He calls her a hermit.

Gabe finds Kate eating alone and joins her. He loves strawberries, the symbol of venus. He tells her she has a brilliant future, romance included.

In the middle of the night, Gabriel comes to Kate and brings her a bowl of strawberries. “This is a dream, isn’t it?” “Do you want it to be?” They kiss passionately. When she wakes up the next morning, there is a white feather in her hair.

In the morning, Kate’s in a much better mood. Gabe suggests she go to the pub with Riley, for her heart’s sake.

Grace and Heath kiss

Grace goes to see Heath for some mew hay, as their current lot is contaminate and has caused some sort of poisoning to the cows.

Gabe secretly causes Marcus’ tire to be flat so Grace goes alone to see Heath!

After talking about the hay…

Grace: “You’re looking at my lips.”

Heath: “Well, you’re talking with them.”

They kiss passionately.

Heath: “You’re right, I’ve been a bit of an arse. This time I’ll definitely call.”

Rose regains feeling in her legs

Gabe tells Rose how beautiful the world is out there and says she’s not crazy. Her mind is protecting her from something, so if she really wants to walk, she needs to stop falling. He touches her face and she remembers what happened – the paper flying, falling down. The scene is rewound and she climbs down this time, holding a white feather in her hand which floats up into the sky and then down into her window where she is lying asleep. When she wakes up, Gabriel is gone. Rose tells Stevie about the amazing dream she had. She can feel her legs again! They hug excitedly!

Rose and Tayler make up. Rose says she doesn’t know why she did it, she felt like she was in a black hole with no way out. Rose says she feels like she can breathe again, now she has to learn how to walk.

Gabe leaves

Gabe tells the girls it’s time to move on. They thank him for his help. They realise he hasn’t done any real work on the bore and that no-one hired him!

The rain dance works

The girls strip off and decide to do a naked rain dance! They put on some music and dance around in a circle in front of a disturbed Rose. Gabe looks on from a distance and the rain pelts down on them! They laugh hysterically.

Leaving the nest – by Christopher D. Hawkshaw
25/07/07

Rose’s friend Kim crashes a dirt bike

Stevie and Rose go for a horse ride. Alex is still in Argentina and Stevie’s looking forward to spending more time with Rose but she’s invited her friend Kim who she plays netball with to come and stay for a few days.

Rose tells Stevie she wants to defer going to Uni for a year and travel the world with Kim.

When Kim arrives, Stevie’s surprised to see he’s a she!

When Moira drops the washing, one of Roses bras falls out of the basket. Kim makes everyone awkward when he says he recognises it!

Stevie isn’t so keen about Kim crashing on Rose’s bedroom floor (even though Rose says they’re just mates), so he’s going to stay in the cottage’s spare room.

Stevie worries about Rose going overseas with Kim.

Rose and Kim head off to Ramsey’s bluff. Rose continues to insist she’s not an item with Kim.

Kim sees some dirt bikes and wants to give it a shot. He dares her to jump on the back. They go for a hoon around the farm together, laughing.

Rose gets off to open a fence and Kim goes speeding off, then flies off the bike! He’s lucky but the bike isn’t in such good shape. They decide to hide the bike until Tayler can fix it.

Stevie comes in and discovers the bike, she’s not impressed and tells Rose that she can’t go on her trip.

Stevie tells Kate it’s just one crisis after another with Rose.

Tayler thinks Kim is cute. Rose says nothing is going on with Kim (again).

Later, Rose and Stevie apologise to each other. Rose wants to go overseas to learn about life still. Stevie makes her promise she’s not throwing away Uni for good then tells her she still can have the money for the trip.

Rose has a spiked drink

Rose, Kim and Tayler head off to a party together. At the party, Rose bumps into Ross who tries giving her some E. She declines but another guy spikes a drink with drugs! Rose discovers Kim making out with a blonde girl named Justine on the couch. Upset, she bumps into Ross with the spiked drink who promises it’s alcohol-free punch (not). Ross takes a drugged Rose to his car. Tayler comes to her rescue, punching out Ross in the process.

Rose wakes up in hospital to learn her drink was spiked by Ross. She’s freaked out about telling her mum about what happened.

When Kim returns the next day, Rose is unimpressed and says the trip is off. She tells him it’s time to go.

Rose finally tells a naturally worried Stevie about the spiked drink. Stevie invites her to stay the summer at Drovers but she wants to start living her own life and do the trip by herself.

Grace isn’t bonding with her new horse

Grace checks out her new horse with Riley. She hasn’t got a name for it yet because she’s just not getting on with him.

Riley tells Grace there’s nothing wrong with her horse, that the horse is perfect for her, if she gives him a chance.

Finally, Grace calls her horse “Crackers”.

Ashleigh wants her money paid back

Grace is given a loan replacement schedule by Ashleigh. She tells Kate about the loan, who isn’t impressed she went to Ashleigh for money.

When Stevie is doing the accounts, she can’t understand why Grace paid lots of the bills with cash. Kate distracts her from looking into it too closely.

Kate and Grace exhaustedly shear the sheep together all through the night and into the morning to pay back Ashleigh. Kate encourages Grace to tell Stevie about the loan. Grace just wants to do something right, for once.

Ashleigh turns up with beers, and overhears Kate and Grace talking about her. Oops. She takes off in her fancy car.

The baby alpaca needs weening

The girls check out the alpacas which are losing weight in the drought. They need to ween the baby. Later, the baby is found tangled up in the fence. That night, Stevie sees how much the baby is missing its mum and says it’s not easy letting go, referring to her own situation just as much. The alpaca has found its way through a fence to be back with the mother. They have to fix the fence.

Rose falls off a windmill

Rose climbs up the windmill to fit something and her travel itinery flies out of her hand. She reaches out for it and falls a long way down to the ground!

Stevie comes back to discover an unconscious Rose. She sends Banjo back to Grace and Kate who are looking at using weeds to help bring back the waterlands.

Rose can’t move her legs and is put into an ambulance.

At hospital, the doctors tell an upset Stevie that Rose has swelling around the spine and they don’t know if she will walk again.