After a grubby day mustering cattle, Tess is thrilled to see two friends turn up unannounced at the homestead. Simon (Murray Bartlett) and Briony (Alexandra Davies) are her best mates from TAFE. She hasn't seen them for yonks. They're fun, they're charming, they've brought their own food. And while they're still hugging hello they drop their bombshell. They've got a lease on the cafe they all dreamed about and they want Tess to come back to the city with them ASAP.

Jodi's fund raising efforts for Miss Gungellan are reaching fever pitch with a charity bush polo match to be held at Drovers Run, but a cloud of discontent covers the girls when they make a macabre discovery in the dam.

Tess is disconcerted to learn Stevie can 'read' her so well whilst playing poker. Stevie explains the theory of 'tells' – signs that give away what a person is really thinking. Stevie finds herself set up as prime suspect for 'borrowing' Sandra's bull, Crusher, after agreeing to transport him for Sandra and settle the outstanding debt between them. When Crusher turns up in a Drovers paddock, apparently ready to service cows on heat, the finger of suspicion is immediately pointed at Stevie. Tess, unaware of Stevie's 'deal' with Sandra and knowing Stevie's history of 'borrowing' other people's possessions, reluctantly thinks the worst. Hoping to avoid police involvement, she agrees to sign over half the calves resulting from the serviced cattle to Sandra. Outraged, Stevie does her own sleuthing on Sandra's property and learns Crusher broke his penis several days ago. There's no way he could have sired any offspring and she and Tess realise they've been had.

Tess' world is turned upside down by the arrival of a man claiming to be Jack McLeod's long lost son.

Sandra has a surprising solution when Alex and Nick face a heart wrenching decision, while Tess tackles her own problems with a charging bull and a gate.

Tess has a fight on her hands when Peter claims custody of Charlotte. Alex enlists the help of his barrister father, Bryce.

An old well on Drovers Run holds a forgotten secret for Tess, leading her to a devastating decision about the future. Nick and Alex receive some surprising news.

When Stevie's daughter Rose arrives unannounced, life at Drovers is thrown into turmoil for everyone - and Stevie is faced with revealing the biggest secret of her life.