Murray Granger

Murray was the leader of the Sanctuary Lodge cult, which Zac’s brother Ethan had joined with his teenage children Oscar and Evelyn. Ethan’s sister-in-law Hannah went to the lodge to try and see the children but Murray refused to allow her access, threatening to call the police. This resulted in Brax, Heath and Kyle taking the pair from the lodge by force, knocking Murray to the ground in the process.

Eager to retrieve the teens, Murray went to Summer Bay. He asked after Zac at the Diner but Irene just offered to pass on his details. VJ told him that Zac was away camping and lived with him and his mum. Murray went to the house and confronted Leah and Hannah, insisting on waiting for Zac to get back with the twins. Zac turned up alone and Oscar, who had been in the house all along listening in, brought the stand-off to an end by saying that if Murray went to the police about Zac abducting them, he’d tell them Murray had him beaten for trying to contact Zac. Murray left but Evelyn later returned to the lodge voluntarily to try and help Ethan.

Murray later brought Evelyn back to town to visit Zac, Hannah and Oscar, where it was revealed he’d been keeping her and Ethan apart, but the meeting came to an abrupt halt when Murray and Zac got into a fight after Murray taunted Zac over abandoning his family. Murray met Spencer when he attended a seminar at the lodge and got Evelyn to talk to him. On overhearing that he was trying to deal with mental illness, he told him that anything could be overcome with sheer willpower. He told Evelyn she was nearly ready for the discovery weekend he held for the over-16s. When Spencer came back, noting everyone had turned on him about the cult, Murray encouraged him to move to the lodge and had Sasha sent away when she tried to convince Spencer to leave. He decided both Spencer and Evelyn would go on the next weekend and also revealed that Freya Lund, a girl who had warned Evelyn not to go on the weekends, was no longer with them.

Chris was the next one to pay a visit to the lodge, where he attended a seminar and questioned Murray’s rhetoric, but Murray convinced Spencer to throw him out. Murray took the teens to the discovery weekend, which involved them being forced to marry each other. When Spencer stood up to Murray and accused him of lying to them, Murray had him taken away and beaten. On realising Spencer and Evelyn had disappeared, Murray went after them with Ethan and tried to drag them back to the lodge, but Zac and Hannah arrived on the scene and Zac punched him. Murray retreated, telling Ethan they were confused, and Zac took the teens to safety. Evelyn had filmed Murray assaulting Spencer and soon Senior Sergeant Emerson arrived to arrest him and take any minors away for their protection. Murray replied that Ethan was his lawyer, but his confidence disappeared on learning Ethan was being arrested as well.