Joyce Dingwell

Gemma was on her way to the Outback to marry Bruce Mannering. Before she had even arrived there; she met Tim Torrance, who promptly informed her that she was making a great mistake. How dared he interfere? But when Gemma actually met Bruce's family, she began to have the uneasy feeling that Tim might possibly have been right.

It was Honor's own fault that her young half-brother Danny was so weak - she had always spoiled him and indulged him - so really she had only herself to blame that now he was trying to blackmail her, to get himself out of serious trouble. Unfortunately, what he proposed to talk her into doing was to marry Chad Evans, whom she didn't even know! To escape from the impossible situation Honor pretended to be married to Kit Blyth. But where did the flintlike Hugh Rowan fit into it all? Hugh, it appeared, was determined to arrive at the truth -- and he chose a rather unorthodox way of doing so...

Zoe and Diana, doing the Australian's traditional "Grand Tour" of Europe, had both fallen in love with Spain - but Diana had fallen in love with Miguel as well, and when the time came to move on to London, Zoe had to go alone, leaving Diana planning her marriage. But it was not long before an S.O.S. reached Zoe in London - Diana's engagement was in difficulties, mainly owing to the disapproving attitude of Miguel's uncle; so Zoe went rushing back to Spain to help, finding the charming Don Ramon Raphaelina a tower of strength in the process. But Don Ramon turned out to be none other than Miguel's formidable uncle - and what would Zoe's chances with him be worth when he discovered not only who she was, but how she had been deceiving him?

After a series of unhappy setbacks, Peta found herself trying to cope, singlehandedly, with a stud farm in Tasmania -- the "Apple Isle". Her neighbour, Nat Trentham, could have been such a help -- if only he hadn't been so infuriating!

When they had first met, Constance knew Anthony Vine had been interested in her. But now that she had come to work with him at Corporation City in the Northern Territory, he was cold and distant. What had gone wrong between them, and was there anything she could do about it?

Manny had fallen in love with love And in this mood she'd agreed to marry Justin Welsh. Fortunately she came to her senses before the wedding. The overbearing construction superintendent, Huw Grant, however, unaware of her change of heart, intervened on her behalf. He whisked the reluctant Manny back to Soleil Bay to finish the piece of art her late father had been commissioned to do. Manny was furious! Huw's dislike of Justin was unreasonable. Besides, it was none of Huw's business!

To anyone who didn't know the facts, Mim Tarrant could appear to be practicing a rather nasty form of deceit, and somehow she didn't want Blaze Barlow, the timber man, to think badly of her. But, for her young brother's sake, she couldn't tell him the truth.

"See me when you grow up." In the patronizing way adults often use, Clem made this comment to Silver when she was little more than a child. Now she was a woman and had returned to the place where she had spent her childhood. Would Clem remember those happy times? Did Silver really care whether he did or didn't?

Miranda was in the unhappy position of being married to one man while loving another. But Sim was such a kind and affectionate husband that the marriage might yet have work out had Jeff not come back into their lives again.

When Patricia Dillington was asked to go and help with Mr and Mrs Rosefield's thirteen children while their parents were in hospital, she couldn't help wondering if perhaps for once she wasn't taking on too much. However, she need not have worried; there was always Bill Fife, the friendly young doctor who lived next door, to lend a helping hand.

"Wanted", the 'Australian Miner' had advertised, "a female who can take it." After adding that what would have to be taken was roughness, toughness, remote locality, no entertainment, it had given a number to ring. Alexandra got the job, and she was sure she could handle it - and Stone (because he's hard) Wetherill into the bargain!

Roslyn had always adored baby Belinda, and had always cared for her and about her -- which was more than the child's relatives had ever done! Now, belatedly, they wanted to claim her, but Roslyn had no intention of parting with her. How should she set about fighting these masterful Morenos?

"An involvement's the last thing I want." Tim Fortescue was a confirmed cynic when it came to women he wasn't going to repeat his ancestor's mistakes. And besides, his outback cattle station was strictly a man's world. But regardless, he wanted Jessica to pretend to be his fiancee until his matchmaking godmother was fooled enough to leave him alone. "I'm sick of being a hunted man," he told Jessica. "And I'm certainly never going to get caught!"

His eyes were cold - just like his heart. Smitten by wanderlust and a thirst for adventure, Maggie had come to work at Phineas Acres in the heart of Australia's harsh western badlands. She soon came to realize that something very strange was happening on the farm. Why did the mysterious Helen de Merril fly in every day, then leave without a word? Why was Tim Renwick so helpless and troubled at times? And why was Tim's brother, the cold, wolfish Jonas Renwick, so determined that Maggie never solve the mystery of Phineas Acres?

Georgina wanted to work in the Australian outback rather than the city, but the only suitable job called for a man. So she called herself George Brown - and got the job. Then she discovered the difficulties of trying to cope with the disturbing Larry Roper.