A big city lawyer is prompted to undergo a 'seachange' with her children and becomes the magistrate at the small coastal town of Pearl Bay, where the family comes to love its people and the quality time with each other.
Cast:John Howard , Sigrid Thornton , Kerry Armstrong , Kevin Harrington , Jill Forster , Cassandra Magrath , Kane McNay , Kate Atkinson , Tom Long , Christopher Lyons , Bruce Alexander , Alan Cassell , Georgina Naidu , Bryony Price , Cameron Nugent , William McInnes , Brett Swain , Alice Garner
With the Pearl Bay Bridge closed to traffic thanks to storms, An angry customer who lost his work in the Continental Deluxe caravan (when it went into the sea), sues Kevin.
A beautiful tax prosecutor takes Bob to court but ends up falling all over him, much to Heather's dismay. Jack is back in the kid's lives and Rupert wants to get his parents back together.
With Diver gone, Laura discovers his old mate Max ""Mullet"" Connors has returned to Pearl Bay with his wife and moved in to the boat shed.
The town tries to find Katrina and Bob guilty of SOMETHING while Heather tries to find out more about Meredith. On a sadder note, Max's wife Elena passes away.
While the town wallows in grief, Bob tries to think up a name for the new pool. Angus has lost his sandbar, Max has lost Elena, Carmen has lost her child and Bucket has lost his dog.
While Max and Laura grow closer, Sergent Gray and Kevin try to catch some giant ""Coconut Crabs"" that are running amok in Pearl Bay.
Max has decided to leave Pearl Bay - grief over Elena is too much. Unfortunately, a car accident and real estate troubles means he has to stay.
In an episode about beliefs, Kevin's guilty conscience comes knocking when he has visions of the Grim Reaper. Laura and Max's relationship becomes a rumour while Angus and Karen are unsure what to do.
A fire-twirler named Felix, and unliked by Laura, is the object of Miranda's affection. Kevin and Phrani try to increase their love life and Laura and Max have dinner - which results in the discovery of how much they love each other.
As Laura sits regularly with her tea on the beach waiting for Max, a young boy steals a bicycle and Craig realises something is wrong with a house Bob owns.
Harold's estranged wife comes up in court over custody of a cat her and her neighbour share. The ownership of the cat has to be temporarily moved for the case but as people shift the cat, it ends with allergic Max.
Speculation about Phrani occurs, when her old "friend" arrives in town and stories fly everywhere.
Conflicts are overflowing in the town. The courthouse is being closed, Meredith doesn't know what to do, everyone wants to know about Laura and Max and the list goes on.