
Claire and Tess are half-sisters who are separated when Tess' mom leaves their father, Jack, when the girls are little. Twenty years later, Jack is dead and Claire is struggling to run the ranch on her own. Tess, now aliented from Claire, returns because she needs a place to stay. But she's soon drafted to help her older sibling and the other women running the ranch: housekeeper Meg, her daughter Jodi, local resident Becky and later, friends Stevie and Kate.
Peter declares his love to Claire then tells her he must leave to sort things out; Becky learns Peter is married.
Claire deals with her fragmented relationships; Peter arrives suddenly, forcing Claire to confront him.
Claire is emotionally distressed over the loss of Peter and Tess; Claire decides to sell Drover's Run.
Becky's older brother Mark returns to the area, seemingly determined to drag Sean into his nefarious lifestyle; Meg finds out she is in competition for Terry's affections.