The Summer Bay Development
Scare of 2008 was one of the most compelling storylines in recent
years. Not only did it endanger people's safety, it had answered the
one question on their minds. Why was there such a high cancer rate in
Summer Bay?
For years, a large plot of land beside the Caravan
Park had been uninhabited. Many residents from the surrounding area
traveled through that plot as a shortcut to town. But what people
weren't realizing was that they were walking on a toxic waste dump, a
well kept secret, thanks to the council.
Environmental Officer
Murray contacted ex-journalist/photographer Belle, who was struggling
to find something she was passionate about, and told her his suspicions
about the potential development and how it was dangerous for everybody
in Summer Bay. Belle was astonished when she learned that illegal waste
was dumped, and this was enough reason for her to get involved and help
stop the development from going ahead.
Belle organized a meeting
at the Surf Club to inform people about the potential health risk this
development may cause. But Irene shot her suspicions down and told
Belle that Murray may have a grudge against the council.
At the
council meeting, residents were assured that the development plot was
clean and they had no reason to worry. The council supplied proof of
this by announcing the results of soil samples tested for toxic
material. No harmful substances were found on the site. Murray was
suspicious of this because he had ordered many soil samples, and he
thought it was fishy that they chose that exact time to reveal them.
Murray
organised a protest at the development site but when he failed to turn
up, things got out of hand and Belle was arrested by her boyfriend
Angelo. He got the charges against her dropped though and gave her
Murray's address so she could find out why he hadn't showed. Whe she go
there though, Murray had disappeared. Angelo did some digging and found
out that Murray had received $20,000 into his account just before he
disappeared.
Belle met with the wife of a man who worked for the
Council in the Hospital and got talking to them both. He told her that
toxic waste had been dumped there and that they were all told to 'put
up or shut up'. The man was now dying of cancer and told Belle he
believed it was possible that his illness was related to the toxic
waste. With this evidence being exactly what she needed, Belle got hold
of Angelo for him to talk to but by the time they got to the Hospital
he'd sadly died.
Disappointed Belle went back to Alf and told
him what the colleague had said and Alf responded that the worker in
question was a good, honest bloke so he gave her the name of an ex
colleague called Arthur who worked in archives and said she could his
name if she needed to. She went to the offices and tried to blag her
way in but was told told she had to make an official request. Taking a
chance she snuck past the worker into archives only to find that the
files for the year in question had been removed.
Meanwhile Annie
and Jai were doing a science project monitoring ferns in the area and
Annie told Belle in passing that the ferns she and collected, from near
the development site, contained really high levels of arsenic. Belle
researched on the computer an found that arsenic was known to cause
cancer and Belle was struck with the horrific thought that Flynn,
Martha, Colleen and numerous other cancer sufferers had lived off that
path for years and she began to wonder if there was a link. She went to
Rachel, who initially refused to help her but Rachel then went to see
Leah to talk through Belle's theory and Leah told her that Alf, the
longest resident at the caravan park had had a brain tumour and that
Vinnie, who grew up on that road, had got testicular cancer at a young
age. Rachel then presented Belle with a list of names and told her to
read into it and do with it what she would.
Meanwhile Aden had
started working at the building site and stole plans from the offices
showing a secret shaded area but whe elle received a call sayng that
Aden as injured and arrived at the site to find it was a prank, she
realised it had been a ruse to get her out of the house and that the
plans had been stolen. She later received a phone call telling her that
she and her boyfriend would be in danger if she didn't drop it.
Here's what some of our members have to say regarding this storyline...
I
didn't think Rachel would come around in the end, so I was pleasantly
surprised when she showed up with the list of names. This development
storyline just became a lot more interesting. If this comes to a head
soon, I hope that some of the past characters do come back. (Jen)
The
toxic dump and the council official has set up written all over it. The
officials looked far too smug, although Murray does look a bit suspect
as well. He does need to do a better job of getting his evidence. Belle
will come to the rescue and save the day at the eleventh hour as in all
good soaps. (Bareefan)
Belle and Murray and the toxic
dump are not really taking off yet but you have to feel for the cop who
has to arrest his girlfriend. I think she is going to give him a hard
time over this. (chatter box)
Belle isn't that
convincing in the toxic dump thing, which seems to be a rip off of the
one they did with Josie and Martha's Dad. (OaMay)
The
toxic dump is developing in a way which will give Belle a new lead and
will also get Angelo's detective's nose twitching I hope. It looks like
someone has gone to a lot of trouble to get rid of Murray. Belle the
crusader will not let this go now and I hope that we see some proper
investigative work being done. (chatter box)
Belle is
starting to get her fire and passion back which is great. Shes a feisty
character and it looks like this toxic waste story could be just what
she needs. (irishgirl01)
With thanks to Cal and JackWilkins.