Summer Bay House

Summer Bay House is the main house in Summer Bay and one of the largest in the area. It has served as the focal point in Home And Away since the series began. It is now back in the ownership of the Stewart's who had lived there prior to 1988. Over the past three and a half decades, the house has been home to a number of families and numerous others who came and went. These include the Fletcher's, the Rosses, the Nashes and the Sutherland's. Its current residents are Alf Stewart, Martha Stewart, Roo Stewart and Leah Patterson.

History[]

The house was built around the turn of the 20th century when the town was expanding. It is a double-storey home and has a large veranda. Alf Stewart first moved into the house in the early 1960s and married Martha Baldivis in 1969. They had a daughter, Ruth (Roo) in 1970. In 1985 Martha faked her own death, leading Alf and Roo to believe she had died. (She returned alive and well in 2018). Alf and Roo moved out and put the house and the adjacent caravan park on the market. Floss and Neville McPhee became caretakers for the property.

1988-1990[]

H&a summer bay house — The original Summer Bay House in the 1990s

In January 1988, Tom Fletcher and his wife Pippa bought the house and caravan park from Alf. They moved from The City with their five foster children Frank Morgan, Lynn Davenport, Carly Morris, Steven Matheson and Sally Keating. They soon added rebellious local teenager Bobby Simpson to the family, though at first she lived in a caravan rather than in the house. Pippa gave birth to her son Christopher in August 1988. Bobby's adoptive sister Sophie was later fostered as was bad boy Brian "Dodge" Forbes. Tragically for the Fletchers, Tom died suddenly from a heart attack in April 1990. In July, Carly married Ben Lucini and the couple lived in the house until the following year.

1990-1998[]

SBHouse Pippa Michael Wedding — Pippa and Michael's wedding in the house (1991)

In late 1990 newcomer Michael Ross moved into the caravan park and married Pippa the following year. They held their wedding ceremony and reception in the house - with the furniture moved out of the way there was plenty of room for the guests to dance. Michael and his teenage son Haydn moved into the house after the wedding. They went on to foster the devious Tracey Turner (briefly), Finlay Roberts and her brother Damian, Jack Wilson, Shannon Reed and Sam Marshall. In 1993 Kevin Baker lived with them briefly before deciding to return home. Also in 1993 Pippa and Michael had a son called Dale but he died from cot death. Michael died in a drowning accident in 1996 but Pippa continued as a single foster mum - Liam Tanner, Tiegan Brook and Justine Welles lived in the house during these years. Later in 1996 the house withstood a significant earthquake

1998-2000[]

Nashes Summer Bay House — An assortment of Nashes, plus Tiegan and Justine watch TV

In 1998, Pippa decided to go travelling with her new beau Ian Routledge. She left the house in the hands of Travis and Rebecca Nash who agreed to hold the fort until she returned. The Nashes took over the fostering of Pippa's remaining teenagers - Tiegan, Justine, Sally and Sam. In 1998 Sally moved out of the house, which had been her home since 1988. Pippa never returned to live in Summer Bay, meaning the house was set to move on to a new set of owners.

Travis's brother Joel, his wife Natalie and kids Tom and Gypsy moved into the house. When Travis and Rebecca departed, they took over the running of the house. They fostered Peta Janossi who later moved away to travel with Edward Dunglass.

2000-2004[]

Rhys Sutherland bought the house in 2000 and moved in with his wife Shelley and daughters Dani, Kirsty and Jade. In 2004 Sally Fletcher moved back into her old home, along with her husband Flynn and their daughter Pippa. They fostered Ric Dalby and Cassie Turner

2016-[]

Alf moved back into his old home.

Memorable info[]

Ada Nicodemou stands outside Summer Bay House — Ada Nicodemou stands outside the rebuilt Summer Bay House

The original Summer Bay House was situated on the Jackaroo Ranch, north-west of Sydney. In December 2002 the house and the adjacent caravan park were destroyed in a bush fire. Stock footage was used instead of the exterior, while the interior remained on screen. In 2015, a replica of the house was built on the same land as the original. Although it looks quite similar to the original, it has been tweaked. The most obvious change is the colour of the roof. In February 2015 Ada Nicodemou posted a photo of herself standing outside the new house on Instagram. It was her first time to be at the house, 16 years after she first joined the show.

The interior of the house has been modernised over the years but is still recognisable. The number of rooms in the house seems to be a bit more uncertain. When Pippa's brother Danny came to visit in 1988, he stayed in a bedroom which has not been seen since.