A new doctor arrives on the Hope Island to assist Dr. Sam Stewart at her medical clinic, although his introduction becomes a bit of a revelation to him. A scuba diver comes up too quickly and suffers from the bends.
Rick is making a few waves with the staff as he settles into the practice. A honeymoon couple are staying on the island and the whole staff become on edge when the bride steps on a stonefish, and there is a disagreement over treatment.
Sam goes to the mainland to give a lecture to medical students on tropical medicine where Andrew tries to get her to transfer to the mainland, again. A young girl is brought into the clinic going into anaphylactic shock after being bitten.
It's Freya's day off so Sam and Gus take her on a hunt for some venomous spiders when Gus falls into a Gympie stinger bush. Then Freya and Sonny are snorkelling when he has a diabetic attack and becomes unconscious.
It's the monthly clinic day, a social as well as a medical day for the islanders. Sam and Rick are very busy with the locals and their problems. A know-it-all amateur herpetologist causes chaos when a snake is let loose in the clinic.
Sam has a meeting with her Andrew over an upgrade to Hope Clinic but is not happy when she finds out the money is coming from a research foundation. A woman starts chasing Rick after a night at a karaoke bar.
Toby goes diving alone and runs into some trouble with sharks. Sam is determined to find out why. Rick and Freya are hitting it off but she is much more active and adventurous than he is. Gus and Olivia are also getting on well together.
Sam is happy when she receives the news that the Foundation is to fund a trial of her venom ulcer cream. However, this turns to dismay when she finds out that Malcolm is to run the trial. He comes to the island to inspect the facilities.
Two old friends of Sam and Jack, who are wildlife documentary makers, have come to Hope Island. They go out to the reef to do some filming but their boat comes lose and drifts away from them. A massive search is mounted.
On the anniversary of her father's death, Sam is going to scatter her father's ashes in the sea surrounded by family and friends. Things are tense when Andrew arrives with his new girlfriend and her daughter.
A storm hits Hope Island leaving a path of destruction. The local satellite expert is an old friend of Rick's, which intrigues Freya. A mysterious man appears to help Sonny with the clean-up, and he comes with some staggering information.
Toby finds a valuable bell from the wreck of the Esperança. Nell buys a metal detector and uses it to look for lost coins and other valuables. A father is supporting his daughter with her swimming training when she is seriously injured.
It's stinger season and Sam goes looking for their breeding area. She finds it and brings lots of them back to the clinic for milking. However, Jack is accidentally stung and has an agonising time as Rick does his best to reduce the pain.
