Ben receives an invitation to a conference in Perth and Donna is determined to go along - as Mrs. Ben Green. Jo goes along with them to search for her mother.
Jo spends her birthday in search of her mother and stakes out the local post office. Kenny helps his patient overcome his bitterness and gives him the courage to face an uncertain future.
While Frank and Shirley are in America visiting Vicky, Simon, and the twins, Frank is replaced by an upfront policewoman, Sgt. Sally Moore. A sales rep for a drug company tries to sell cheap drugs to farmers in the Valley.
Ben is victimised by irate farmers when he announces that the whole milk supply of the Valley will have to be dumped. Alex becomes godmother to young Penny Richards. Ben's surgery is vandalised.
Peter decides to impress Alex by putting up a TV aerial for her and he finally gets her alone - when they get stranded on the roof for the night. Mrs. Coote and Major Duggan get married.
Wandin Valley battens down the hatches and prepares for Big Jules' annual visit. Frank is treating Sally as if she's incapable of handling anything other than paperwork and she's had enough.
Cowboy Hank "Lash" McCoy and his family arrive in town to perform a Wild West show for the primary school and Alex is rather put out by Peter's interest in one of the show's stars.
Andrew McPherson, an old friend of Alex's, has come to the Valley for a break. Peter is jealous and feels he can't compete with Andrew, a hot-shot city lawyer.
Alex learns that Andrew has a drug problem but has a hard time convincing him to do something about it. Jo is elected president of the new student council. Peter shows his jealousy by giving Alex the cold shoulder.
Andrew realises the quiet life is not for him and returns to Sydney. Maggie uncovers the identity of the "Woman of the World" and reaches a compromise with Matron Arrowsmith.
A reformed gambler finds the temptation too hard to resist. Esme is also bitten by the gambling bug when Cookie installs a new poker machine in the club.
Peter and Alex organise a romantic weekend away in Sydney but it doesn't go according to plan when Alex's father is found to be staying in the same hotel. Donna falls for a mysterious newcomer.
Frank is not impressed by Jo's taste in men when she brings home her new boyfriend - Tyrone the surfie. Alex is forced to go to England when she hears that her grandmother is ill.
Hilda Arrowsmith arrives at the hospital and announces that she is their new Acting Matron. The Shelley children move in with Frank and Shirley when their mother is admitted to hospital. Peter is longing for Alex's return.
Adam Campbell takes a fancy to Jo and invites her to a party at his house, but disaster strikes when they are involved in a car accident while on the way home.
Frank is determined to find out who is to blame for the car accident that has left Jo in a coma with possible brain damage. Peter drives down to Sydney to meet Alex at the airport and ends up helping a damsel in distress.
Christine Mason returns to work after the birth of her daughter but when she brings Yvette to the hospital with a broken arm, Alex suspects that Christine is guilty of child abuse.
Cookie moves into Camelot after he and Bob have an argument. Terence and Alex have a difference of opinion over a suspected child abuse case and Alex is forced to back down when she realises that she was mistaken.
Peter tries to find the right time to pop the question to Alex but she's too busy battling a case of hay fever to notice. Major Duggan's health is failing him but he refuses to see Terence for treatment.
Jo, Glen, and Darren save the Major from drowning when he falls into the swimming hole and Terence convinces him to have further tests. Peter finally proposes to Alex who accepts.
The residents of Wandin Valley band together to prevent the closure of the hospital. Shirley decides to solve Frank's back problems by getting a new bed - a waterbed, and Jo is horrified.
Donna gets Ben to propose to her because she's never been asked before. Maggie defeats Arrowsmith and Councillor Muldoon when she dares to expose some secrets. The town throw an engagement party for Peter and Alex.
Young Jimmy is found dead in the lake and Fiona runs to Jo and the Gilroys for comfort when her mother turns on her and blames her for his death. The pressure is on Peter and Alex to name the day.
When Peter allows his students to choose a book for their open-book review, their choice causes him nothing but trouble. Cookie organises a grand surprise, but Esme gets a surprise of another kind.
A diabetic boy bluffs his way into hospital to escape his overprotective mother. Sandy's dad is not happy to learn that his daughter is studying "Puberty Blues" at school and confronts Peter about it.
Cathy Hayden, Wandin Valley's new Parks and Wildlife officer, has trouble coping with the attitudes of the locals and her willful grandfather. Peter is disillusioned and not sure whether he wants to continue teaching.
Ben, Jo, Donna, and Bob go ghostbusting and end up solving a fifty-year-old mystery. Terence is concerned when Alex gets too involved in the case of a newborn baby who is going through heroin withdrawal.
A hard-nosed journalist comes to the Valley to interview Cathy for a story about a day in the life of a ranger, but Cathy is too busy organising the annual roo cull.
Kevin Simpson decides to take his family's welfare into his own hands. Alex tells Peter that she can't go with him and will be staying in Wandin Valley. Peter says goodbye to Donna and his friends throw him a going away party.
Bob and Cookie go in search of some frill-necked lizards. Jack Hayden and Sally find they have plenty in common. Jo becomes the star of a Japanese shampoo commercial.
Frank plans a special present for his and Shirley's fifth wedding anniversary. Bob and Cookie are besieged by would-be stars as word of their success as theatrical agents spreads.