Episode 395

Australian Air Date: 15th September 1989
UK Air Date: 23rd August 1990
Writer: John Hugginson
Director: Brian Lennane

Celia faces the attentions of an unwanted admirer and Viv uses her friendship with Steve for selfish purposes.

Extended Summary

Alf gets a phone call at the store from Pippa with the good news that Tom is awake. Celia and Donald come in after finding the giant bunyip footprint. Celia thinks they’re lucky to be alive but Alf tells her she’ll have every yahoo and his dog in town looking for the thing and Donald agrees it would be wise to keep quiet.

Adam finds Bobby sitting on the jetty by his yacht, feeling useless that she can’t do anything to help Tom. Adam is expecting his first customers for his bunyip hunt; in a couple of weeks he’ll have enough to fix the yacht. Bobby teases that he just wants to get away before the raft race but Adam says the girls have no chance of winning. If they do, he will do whatever Bobby says, and vice-versa. The American Schwartztien family arrive for the tour.

Viv and Carly are trying to figure out what’s wrong with the raft plan in the back room at the Diner. Bobby arrives and is delighted to learn that Tom is awake. Carly plans some “industrial espionage” for the raft.

Alf is walking through the woods and finds the bunyip footprints. He covers them up but bumps into a Scottish explorer searching for the bunyip! They encounter Adam and the Schwartztiens and Adam recognizes the “famous” explorer Ian McTavish! Alf can’t take any more and walks off and Adam explains that he’s a conservationist. McTavish runs after him.

Bobby and Steven are sitting in a booth at the Diner and Carly tells Bobby that Viv is infiltrating the opposition. Bobby thinks it looks more like love to her. Viv asks Steven to a movie tonight and explains that Matt is not her boyfriend. Carly is delighted that Steven has fallen for it.

Coral is at the store and says Pippa has so much support in Summer Bay that she’s hardly needed. Alf comes in and is still in a bad mood with Celia. Celia explains she has found evidence of the bunyip but Alf doesn’t want anyone to know about it. McTavish comes in, looking for Alf and seems to take a liking to Celia.

Coral irons a shirt for Steven’s date and is surprised to learn that Viv asked him out. Carly says things are a bit different these days but Coral thinks most women still want a man who can take the initiative; Viv probably got tired of waiting for Steven to ask her out.

Celia gets McTavish a chair so he can sit down as he lost three of his toes to frostbite in the Himalayas. Celia says Alf is refusing to speak to him and he says conservationists are senseless. Celia says Alf’s not a conservationist and starts to say she can help him but Donald comes in and interrupts. McTavish invites Celia to dinner this evening and leaves.

At the Diner, Ailsa tells Bobby and Carly they have a reservation for a table for two this evening. McTavish and Celia arrive and Carly is shocked. Bobby hopes he’s a good listener. Steven is waiting for Viv. Bobby thinks Carly should go and tell Steven the truth but it’s too late as Viv arrives.

Donald is looking for a video at the store but can’t find any classics. Alf offers “The Creature From the Black Tar Lake” but Donald says it’s a little too topical! Alf wants to wring the neck of whoever is responsible for the bunyip caper. He says McTavish is as mad as a meat axe. Donald says Celia has taken a shine to him and Alf says they’re made for each other.

McTavish tries to find out what Celia was going to tell him back at the shop. Celia realises he only invited her to dinner to try and get information about the bunyip. She tells him to stop calling her “lassie” because she’s not a collie, and walks out. McTavish follows her down a dark and misty road, trying to convince Celia he’s genuinely fond of her, but Celia isn’t having it.

Back at the Diner, Viv confesses to Steven that they photocopied his raft plan and she’s only here to try and find out what’s wrong with it. She and Matt are seeing each other. Steven leaves and Viv looks guilty.

Coral is complaining about Viv the next morning. Carly tells her she’s making it sound worse than it is but Coral tells her she’s got some bridges to mend. Steven comes into the house and Carly apologises for pushing Viv to do what she did. Steven says all they had to do was ask what was wrong with the plans…

At the surf club, Steven tells Matt and Adam he’s given the girls some misinformation about the raft fault and they will be getting very wet! McTavish arrives and wants to book an exclusive bunyip hunt with Adam at any price. At the yacht, McTavish hands over $500 to Adam and the rest of the payment depends on results. McTavish walks off and Adam puts his bunyip mask on.

Guest Cast

IAN McTAVISH (NOEL TREVARTHEN)
First episode. World-famous Scottish explorer who visited the Bay in search of the Bunyip. Attempted to woo Celia.

MR. SCHWARTZSTIEN (LANCE STRAUSS)
American tourist who hired Adam’s bunyip watching tour.

CORAL KING (JESSICA NOAD)

MATT WILSON (GREG BENSON)