Hugo Austin (2009)
Bernard Curry
Episodes: 4777 -
Parents: Gina Austin
Siblings: Xavier and Brendan Austin
Occupation: Diving instructor
Hugo arrived in the bay for his cousin Jack's funeral. His younger brother Xavier instantly rekindled his dislike of his older brother, accusing him of bailing on the family. When Hugo laid into Xavier about selling drugs, he announced that it was the only way they could get money because what Hugo had been sending wasn't enough. Hugo realised his brother was right and set about trying to look after his family during this dreadful time. Hugo offered to look after Xavier full time in the bay so that his mum could go back and look after Brendan. Xavier agreed and the two brothers began living with Rachel and Tony but it wasn't long before Xavier out stayed his welcome when he and Ruby got drunk on a bottle of champagne meant for Tony and Jack's boat.
Hugo swiftly moved them out of there and they ended being offered a place to live with Martha, who wanted Hugo there to have a new link with Jack. Hugo refused at first but soon accepted the offer on the condition that they leave if they prove too much for Martha. Xavier's girlfriend Freya added to the tension between the brothers she tried to kiss him and they were caught by Xavier who at first blamed Hugo. Xavier, Ruby and freya thought they had hit Hugo's boat after Freya took it for a joyride and everyone was worried about him but he turned up safe and well.
Roman disapproved of Hugo and Xavier living with Martha, feeling the extra pressure for her would be too much. It wasn't long before Hugo picked up on the feelings Roman had for Martha and promptly told Martha this, causing her to end her friendship with Roman. Hugo decided he needed to make his position in the bay more permanent and made a business proposal to Alf to set up a diving school. Roman soon heard about this warned Alf off the idea. Alf then refused Hugo but after Martha asked Roman to go easier on Hugo, he put Alf straight and Alf readily accepted Hugo's offer to go into business with him.
Hugo was worried when Martha disappeared during a storm and later found her unconscious. She made a full recovery but life at home became infinitely more difficult when Gina broke her ankle and Brendan came to live with Xavier and Hugo. Hugo was unable to deal with his brother and left Xavier to carry the burden, causing more tension between the brothers. Martha managed to get Hugo to open up to her about losing his ex girlfriend in a car crash that nearly killed him. He still had issues with Brendan though and after a fight to take away Brendan's stick saw Brendan accidentally hurt, both Gina and Xavier refused to believe that it was an accident. Martha took his side and Hugo later had things out with Xavier and cleared the air. He also came to realise that Brendan's fear of blue cars came from the fact that a blue car had nearly killed Hugo and Hugo realised that Brendan loved him. When Brendan left the bay to return to Gina, things were back on track with the brothers.
Hugo was missing at sea when a severed hand was found on the beach and later turned up at hospital, struggling with a wound which he claimed had been caused by a Tiger Shark. People wanted to buy him drinks and hear his story but John Palmer. angry at the Surf Carvival being cancelled, spread word that Hugo had lied, causing him to lash out in a brawl that saw Hugo, Roman, Gardy and Miles take on John and his friends, destroying Alf's bar.
After Angelo confirmed that the shark did exist Hugo, Alf and miles went out to look for it but instead found Lou deBono's body. After weeks of being distant around Martha, Hugo admitted he had feelings for her.**Both of them were initially awkward about the relationship but eventually agreed to give it a go. After Angelo sprang their secret meetings, they began telling their families. Alf, Tony and Xavier were all accepting but Colleen took a bit more work. Hugo suggested they go to the city to tell Gina and Brendan and get away from things for a while but instead they came across a bus full of schoolchildren which Trey Palmer had placed a bomb under. Hugo and Martha managed to defuse it but Hugo was injured when it was detonated by a secondary. Fortunately, he recovered after having shrapnel removed from his head.
Martha and Hugo's relationship was now fully accepted and they spent the night together at her farm. Hugo was the first to realise Gibbsey was behind the abalone poaching in the area; he tried to set him up by making a call to Angelo but only managed to get himself arrested. Angelo eventually realised the truth but when Hugo realised Aden had gone along on the latest trip, he nearly got himself in trouble again by going to the wharf to warn him just before the police arrested Gibbsey.
Hugo played parent to Brendan again when he came to stay with them while Gina was on holiday and now seemed on much better terms with his brother. He helped persuade Gina to let Brendan stay in a community house like he wanted. He tried to set up a new dive attraction by sinking a schooner in the bay but John Palmer opposed the plan. When it was cut loose, he and Angelo went looking for it and instead found twelve dead illegal immigrants, with Hugo seemingly unaware he was considered prime suspect for the people smuggling operation that claimed their lives. When he returned home from a night dive to find Bambang staying at the house, he was concerned and persuaded Martha to return him to Social Services. Then Suzy Sudiro turned up at the house, claiming she was Hugo's wife. Hugo was forced to admit it was true and Martha walked out on him. Suzy gave Hugo a ticket to Indonesia, telling him to follow her over.
With Martha and Bambang installed at the farm, Hugo joined them, persuading her they could be a family. When she found the ticket, he assured her he wasn't planning on using it. However, after another encounter with Hugo, he suddenly broke things off with Martha. She confronted him with evidence he had been planning to propose and he admitted it was true but told her he couldn't be the man she wanted.
Hugo shocked everyone by suddenly announcing he was leaving town and booked a flight to Argentina. However, as he was leaving he was stopped by Suzy, who told him she wanted the money from their business”. After trying to send a warning message to Martha, Hugo was last seen in 2009 turning up at the docks where Charlie had just found a crate full of illegal immigrants and knocking her unconscious.
Into 2010, and Hugo had Charlie aboard his boat, where flashbacks began to clear up just what had been happening throughout the previous year. Suzi turned up and was wrestled into the sea. Charlie dived into save her and Hugo took off.
As Hugo went back to the bay to collect his stuff, a message was left by Tony saying that Angelo had been shot, but cutting out as he tried to say about Martha . However, it was all a set up and when Hugo arrived there, Angelo was there to arrest him. Taken into custody he was then shot by Indonesian man. As his funeral went ahead, we saw him watching from a distance and it was revealed through flashbacks that the police were willing to cut him a deal which would see him put into to witness protection and that the man who had shot him was an undercover cop. However, he wanted Alf to know that he was still alive and left Xavier a box of money which provided some comedy later on.