1988: The land before the diner

[Homeandawayfan.]

The Diner was first seen in very late 1988, virtually a year into the shows run, even if it was still being fitted out etc. It was a great addition to the show, not forgetting both Neighbours and H&A were Lassiters and Diner/Surf Club deprived in that first 10 or so months.

At least the Diner and original Stewart store appeared at the same time for a few months before Dodge became a twisted firestarter.

 

[CaptainHulk]

2 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

The Diner was first seen in very late 1988, virtually a year into the shows run, even if it was still being fitted out etc. It was a great addition to the show, not forgetting both Neighbours and H&A were Lassiters and Diner/Surf Club deprived in that first 10 or so months.

At least the Diner and original Stewart store appeared at the same time for a few months before Dodge became a twisted firestarter.

 

Coffee Shop was owned by Wally Walters who lost the lease to Daphne's gramps, Harry Henderson and if the Adults (Max, Jim  etc) wanted a drink they'd go to Smugglers.

[adam436]

  

8 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

It was a great addition to the show, not forgetting both Neighbours and H&A were Lassiters and Diner/Surf Club deprived in that first 10 or so months.

When was the Surf Club first introduced to the show? From memory, it was around the time of the shark storyline involving the shark hunter who was harassing Pippa, but I don't recall it having a pool table, kiosk, gym etc. that defined it in the nineties and early 2000s. It was more just a place to hold meetings/events

In hindsight, it is odd that H&A never really had a bar/pub set in the early years. I guess being a primarily teenage soap in the early years, the younger characters wouldn't have been able to frequent it. The older characters who drank tended to talk and drink at someone's home (i.e. Alf/Tom, Lance/Martin etc.). When the show started to build up the twentysomething cohort in the early nineties - Marilyn, Adam, Matt, Ben, Grant, Bobby, Carly - a pub would have definitely been a fitting addition to that. 

[Dan F]

3 hours ago, adam436 said:

When was the Surf Club first introduced to the show?

August 1989

[Homeandawayfan.]

As H&A progressed, it bought in more locations, but also some locations were written out quite early such as the community centre which was very early, as it was burned down by Walter in 1988 due to his brain injury, and he was the famous Summer Bay Nutter. The original shop was written out after over a year. In with the diner and later surf club. As I said I think the diner was being prepared for usage towards the end of 1988.

Outside the beach and bay itself, Summer Bay House and the caravan park are the 2 remaining original locations used since the pilot. I rarely watch modern day H&A but is the school still featured occasionally? I know the school has had numerous revamps since 1988 though.

To think August 2024, next year, will be 35 years since The Surf Club was introduced.

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Homeandawayfan.

[CaptainHulk]

School hasn't been seen in 4yrs would you believe?

4 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

As H&A progressed, it bought in more locations, but also some locations were written out quite early such as the community centre which was very early, as it was burned down by Walter in 1988 due to his brain injury, and he was the famous Summer Bay Nutter. The original shop was written out after over a year. In with the diner and later surf club. As I said I think the diner was being prepared for usage towards the end of 1988.

Yep, the interiors were first seen in the last week of 1988.

[Homeandawayfan.]

I am sure after the first general store 1988-1989 was burned down and never rebuilt the land area was seen in shots on the beach, and as we know H&A has always been loaded with beach scenes.

[cymbaline]

This is the area today (Google Streetview) It has changed so much, the only thing that's still there is the hill that leads up to the beach. Wouldn't it have been terrific if Google Streetview had been around in 1989. I'd say that area has been modernised beyond belief.

[Homeandawayfan.]

In 200 years time archaeologists can find remains of the foundations of the store, and say "A soap opera called Home And Away used this shop for over a year in the late 1980s".  By then we will all be in flying cars and if H&A is still going, it will have Alf's 5xgreat grandson in it, and 6th generation River Boys or Summer Band.

[cymbaline]

Would this mean that instead of Hogan's Ghost, they'll be referencing Stewart's Ghost?