Julie faces her greatest challenge yet – the birth of her fourth and final child without husband Dave at her side.

After Dave leaves for his vasectomy, Julie begins to have contractions, and though she thinks they’re probably Braxton Hicks, Melissa and Ben insist on getting her to a hospital. 

Once in hospital, Julie’s obstetrician Sandra Marsh observes that the signs of labour have disappeared – but now that Julie is in hospital, she’s not allowed to leave until she gives birth. Julie reluctantly gives in – and tells Ben not to worry Dave as he will undoubtedly call them once his procedure is over. 

However Julie’s labour pains start up again – this time for real. Ben leaves frantic voice messages for Dave, realising they don’t know the name of the clinic where his vasectomy is taking place. Will Dave make it to the hospital in time?

Meanwhile, Jake invites her to lunch with his family – at his mother’s Grace’s insistence. When Rachel expresses surprise, Jake admits that he has told Grace that she is going to be in his life long term. Rachel is taken aback – what kind of commitment is Jake talking about? However, the family lunch takes a dark turn when Jake begins to fit, collapsing on the floor.

Meanwhile, Nathan surprises Sammy with a cheque for $14,000. He took some spare chips back to the casino and won – enough for them to pay off the remainder of their debt and put down bond on an apartment. They’re finally able to move out of the Rafter house. Despite their good fortune, Nathan can’t help but think what he and Sammy could do if they had more money – maybe even put down a deposit on a place. So instead of taking the cheque to the bank…Nathan heads back to the casino. Will he come up trumps or lose the lot?

Nativity Play

Zoe Ventoura

Jessica Marais

Jessica McNamee

Caroline Brazier

Season 3

Unlimited Options

This episode sees the return of Packed to the Rafters for its second season on Australian television. Decisions still need to be made from where they left off at the end of Season One. And Ben and Mel may or may not have a relationship. So I suppose many questions will be answered over the next few episodes. In this episode we see Julie once again worried about the safety of her family. It seems she visits a psychic and some very troubling forecasts about the future of the Rafter family are made. Now normally this would not bother Julie, but as each of these predictions come true, Julie becomes increasingly concerned.

Look into My Eyes

Dave and Julie’s relationship comes under strain as Dave struggles with a series of betrayals.

Julie is convinced that Warney is ripping off Dave’s business. But Dave is positive his mate is doing no such thing. Warney is able to explain away any discrepancies – and Dave’s loyalty to him is strengthened when he discovers they shared similar childhoods – Warney was adopted too.

Meanwhile, Nathan’s easy working relationship with his father is tested when they do a job for Tim Connelly, a real estate agent who Nathan once interviewed with. Nathan’s work ethic impresses Tim and he surprises Nathan by offering him a job. Dave knows he should be thrilled for his son but he can’t help feeling betrayed and abandoned.

Ben and Melissa are tentatively dating, but the arrival of a handsome new doctor – Luke Hanson sets Ben on a destructively jealous path. Melissa’s furious reaction makes Ben determined to win her back by becoming what she wants – an athletic, successful man. But his plans are cut short when he suffers what seems to be a heart attack. 

Ben’s emergency plus Dave’s feelings of abandonment force Dave to face up to his childhood. Deserted by his parents and adopted out at a young age, Julie suggests to Dave it’s time he discovers the truth about his past. But is he ready to find out?

Dodging the Issue

Rachel gets back into the dating game.

Encouraged by her best friend Libby, Rachel reluctantly agrees to be set up on a blind date. After they literally run into a gorgeous, crude rugby player – Jake – at the park, Rachel is even more determined to date the perfect man, and gives Libby an impossible checklist of necessary qualities her date must possess.

Libby comes up with the goods in the form of handsome, successful, well travelled Marcus but the date is a disaster. Rachel’s mood isn’t helped by constantly running into the crude Jake.

Undeterred, Libby tries again with the charming, fun and cute Ritchie – but he comes with his own set of issues. It’s a case of third time lucky when Libby persuades Rachel to date one more guy – Max – who turns out to be short, overweight…and fascinating. However, Rachel gets a shock when Max turns her down gently – he only wants to date girls with red hair!

Realising that she is being taught a lesson, Rachel decides to embrace whatever the universe offers her – no more lists. But the last thing she expects to discover is that Jake is Dave’s new electrician. What is the universe offering Rachel and will she take it?

Ben’s determined to win the job of manager at the boat club. He goes to the interview and meets Fergus, his rival for the position. Derek their boss gives them a challenge – one slow night each to turn a decent profit. Who’ll get the job?

Nathan has started his new job as a suburban real estate agent. However, he’s stunned when his boss Tim relegates him to a very junior role. All his attempts to prove himself fall on dead ears – so Nathan decides to take a gamble on a client without telling Tim. Will Nathan blow it?

Living by the List

Steve Wilson makes Nathan an unexpected offer.

Nathan’s life is finally back on track. He’s on the verge of pushing through a major sales coup and his boss Tim raises the possibility of a future partnership in the business. 

However, a spanner is thrown in the works when Dave’s ex-bandmate and close friend Steve Wilson returns from touring to announce that he’s launching a new publishing and composing division of his label with a party to which all the Rafters are invited.

The party is a glamour-affair of champagne and celebrities like Kate Ceberano, David Campbell and So You Think You Can Dance’s RHYS BOBRIDGE. During the festivities, Layla - Steve’s attractive and dynamic new business-partner and girlfriend - takes an intense interest in Nathan. She and Steve approach Nathan to join their new venture in a sales capacity.

Both Dave and Sammy express reservations. Steve’s company has not yet opened for business and nobody knows whether it will succeed. Nathan is forced to choose between the glamour of the music industry and the security of real estate – what will he decide?

Nathan flirts with Layla, which puts a strain on his and Sammy's relationship Nathan is impressed with Steve's attr

Nathan flirts with Layla, Steve's attractive new business-partner and girlfriend Layla

Rachel meanwhile continues to rise to the bait of Jake’s brazen teasing flirtation. Julie strongly suspects Rachel is protesting too much when Rachel accuses him of being a Neanderthal bogan. This character analysis Jake challengingly puts to the test when he crashes a market research group Rachel and her colleagues have organised for a men’s body spray. Will she interestedfall for his rough charms?

Ben meanwhile runs into Melissa and her new boyfriend Luke at the movies. She admits to missing him but wants to be just friends. Ben refuses, giving Melissa an ultimatum – it’s all or nothing for him. Who will Melissa choose? Will it be enough to bring them back together?

Glittering Prizes

Painful memories surface for Dave as he and Julie confront the potentially heartbreaking results of tests on their unborn child.

Pregnant late in life, the chances of Julie and Dave’s child having Down Syndrome are already high – but the results of preliminary ultrasound indicates those chances are even higher. Although they must wait for blood tests to confirm, Julie and Dave find themselves contemplating a likely future as parents of a child with a disability. Julie, though rattled, reminds Dave they have already made their decision about the baby – as far as she’s concerned, they’re having the child, no matter what. 

Julie wants to start researching Down Syndrome so they can plan for the future. But Dave’s response stuns her. He doesn’t want to research anything until the results are confirmed - and worse of all, he’s not sure they should have the child if it turns out to have the disability. 

As his marriage comes under strain, Dave is forced to examine his reasons for not wanting the child. He digs into previously buried memories – and finally realises that his reaction to the baby is based on fear...fear that his child will suffer the same rejection and isolation Dave suffered as a child. 

Nathan begins his first day at Steve Wilson’s music firm. Excited by the glamour of the music industry, Nathan is on a constant high – and Sammy can’t help feeling slightly jealous. Her feelings aren’t helped when Nathan’s new job proves to involve late nights and offering lonely hears advice to his needy new colleague, Steve’s girlfriend Layla.

Carbo falls into a surprising physical relationship with a lonely customer, married 40ish cougar Toni – but may have bitten off more than he can chew when Toni starts stalking him.

Brave New World

Ted’s burgeoning relationship with Marjorie appears to be going romantic gangbusters until he meets her daughter Susannah and her pregnant partner Abby, who’ve left the Gold Coast to live with her.

Conservative Ted is taken aback when he discovers the couple’s baby has been fathered by Susannah’s brother. Ted is however determined to try to be friends – but Susannah rejects every attempt. The situation is made more difficult when Ted decides that Susannah is taking her mother for granted. When he makes the mistake of sharing his concerns with Marjorie, Marjorie not unnaturally sides with her daughter. Will their blossoming relationship be over before it’s even had the chance to begin?

Attempting to get back on the horse after his breakup with Melissa, Ben gives into the flirtation of a young woman Elly, at the boatclub. However when they go back to the Karandonis house, Elly passes out. Ben and Carbo rush her to hospital where she recovers – but accuses Ben of spiking her drink. How will Ben prove his innocence?

Rachel is determined to hate gorgeous tradie Jake - but the true colours of her interest emerge when they are inadvertently locked together in a building site overnight... and temptation proves too much to resist

Little Arrows

Trish returns from Europe, seemingly in high spirits, and invites the entire Rafter family to lunch at an exclusive restaurant. When her daughter Sammy wonders who exactly is paying the bills, Trish waves off Sammy’s concerns - she’s meeting with estranged husband Tony tomorrow to sort out finances. To her shock, Sammy realises that Trish hopes she will get back with Tony. 

Sammy goes along to their meeting for moral support. To Trish’s surprise, Tony fails to show, sending instead his lawyer, Simon Radic. Trish’s hopes of reconciliation are destroyed, as are her credit cards, when Simon cuts them in half as per Tony’s instructions. Sammy brings a devastated Trish to the Rafter house – the only sanctuary she knows – where Trish has a mental collapse.

Ben is struggling with his recent break-up with Melissa. Despite having insisted they can’t be just friends, Ben is missing her desperately. To his surprise, Melissa turns up unexpectedly at the Karandonis house with her bags – but is she back for good?

Meanwhile, Rachel is fighting her attraction to Jake after their night of passion. A night watching rugby brings out the competitive streak in both of them – and Rachel can’t help but give in again to Jake’s charms. But is there romance on the cards?

Belonging

The stray mutt which Ben and Melissa found a week ago still has no name, despite all their efforts. If Carbo has his way, the dog may not be around long enough to need a name. After barking all day and night and chewing his mum’s shoes, Carbo delivers an ultimatum to his housemates – find the dog’s owner or it’s off to the pound.

Meanwhile, the dog seems to have developed an obsession with Dave. Dave’s instinct is to back away from the dog’s affection – but it’s the all night howling which triggers a deeply subconscious reaction in Dave. He begins to have a recurring dream – one he had many times as a child – of a dog barking and scratching at a closed door. But is it just a dream or a distant and traumatic memory from his own childhood?

A week into Trish’s stay in the Rafter house, Julie pleads with her boss Don to give Trish a job. He agrees but the plan backfires when Trish spends more time flirting with Don than she does working. Worse still, Trish unthinkingly reveals Julie’s pregnancy – information Julie was deliberately withholding.

Jake is determined to show Rachel they could be in a relationship which is more than physical. Rachel isn’t convinced but agrees to go along to Ladies Day at his rugby club. Plunging headfirst into Jake’s world, will Rachel like what she sees?

What's in a Name?

Ben’s troubles begin when he inadvertently stumbles on Rachel taking artistic pregnancy photos of a naked Julie. Given the mainly positive reactions to the photos, Julie decides to celebrate her changing body by putting an enormous copy of a nude photo smack bang in the middle of the lounge-room. 

Dave’s growing attachment to Ben and Melissa’s dog continues to puzzle those around him. Only Julie knows the truth: the dog has provoked the recollection of a traumatic incident in his past. So when the dog is badly injured in a car accident, Dave breaks down in front of Ben. However the dog proves not to be the only link to his past when Dave’s original birth certificate finally arrives – is Dave ready for the answers he’s been seeking? 

Rachel and Jake take their newfound relationship a step further when Jake shares a family dinner with the Rafters. 

Ted and Dave assume that Jake won’t be able to cope with the naked photo of Julie – but Jake scores himself major brownie points by admiring the artwork. Encouraged by his maturity, Rachel tells Jakes some home truths about her past – including her sex tape. Will it scare him off?

Meanwhile, Ben’s relationship with Melissa is put to the test when a series of misunderstandings causes him to think she is cheating on him. Her anger and betrayal prompts Ben to take a good hard look at their relationship. The result? To propose marriage. But does Melissa want to marry Ben?

Naked Visions

Dave has finally opened his original birth certificate. Inside is the name of his birth mother, but his birth father is ‘unknown’. Encouraged by Julie, Dave tells the rest of the family. Buoyed by their enthusiasm to find out more, Dave fills in an online profile for an organisation which brings adopted parents and children together. Initially thrilled when the organisation finds his mother, Dave is devastated when they reveal she doesn’t want to see him. But is the door closed forever?

Meanwhile, Rachel invites herself to Jake’s place for lunch to meet his family, keen to take the next step in their relationship. But all her expectations are challenged by Jake’s cheeky brother Alex, who has cerebral palsy, and their mother Grace, who takes an instant dislike to Rachel. 

Things go from bad to worse between Rachel and Grace when Jake is injured in a workplace accident. When Rachel dashes to his side, Grace finally lets loose, telling Rachel to leave her son alone.

Nathan is slowly being pulled into the darker side of the music business. After kicking yet more goals for the company, Layla suggests they celebrate with cocaine. Nathan resists initially, then gives in – what harm can a few lines do

Ready to Catch You

After turning up at the Rafter house and disappearing without so much as a word, Rachel 'Chel' Warne uses an electrical ruse to lure Dave to the shop where she is working. Although the meeting is awkward, Dave invites her to lunch the next day. The whole family is nervous about the encounter, but Chel soon charms them all - apart from Dave. Will the pain of his past prevent him from embracing a future with his mother?

Jake and Rachel's worlds collide when Jake invites himself to her launch of 'Rampant', a men's body spray. Jake feels like a fish out of water at the launch, but when the sound system blows, who else can save the day but an electrician?

However, Rachel and Jake's romantic night together at a hotel is interrupted by a phone call from Jake's overprotective mum Grace, trying to emotionally blackmail him into coming home early. Rachel has had enough and confronts Grace... which Jake witnesses. Whose side will Jake be forced to take?

Narrated by: Rachel Rafter

Power Play

Carbo’s mother Rita arrives from Lesbos to stay for six weeks with Artemis, the 18 year old daughter of her best friend. Despite Ben and Melissa’s insinuations that this may be a romantic set-up, Carbo sees Artie like a little sister. 

However she’s hardly the innocent young girl Rita seems to think she is. At a trip to the beach, she hooks up with Dane, a guy she has met on Facebook. With Rita breathing down his neck, Carbo alienates the rebellious Artemis with his attempts to curb her wild behaviour. But despite acting like a big brother, a quick, innocent kiss between them leaves Carbo floored by a rush of romantic feelings. Was this Rita’s plan all along?

Meanwhile, Sammy has to interview two young professionals for her first feature writing assignment. To her surprise, Nathan, eager to play the supportive husband, suggests she contact her former flame Owen. Is Nathan hiding his guilt over a cocaine-fuelled kiss with Layla? And when Sammy interviews Layla too, will the truth slip out?

Out of Left Field

A shame-faced Nathan wakes up from an erotic dream initially about Sammy who then turns into Layla.

Sammy’s father Tony is facing the first hearing of his trial tomorrow, and she has to go along as moral support for her mother Trish. She’s given a boost when Nathan insists he’ll take the day off work and accompany her– a seemingly generous act, although he’s really doing it as much to avoid Layla after their cocaine-fuelled kiss as to help his wife. 

After the first hearing, Nathan is called back to work, where Layla notices his fixation on her – so she subtly strokes the flames. This leads to Nathan having another erotic dream – and when he guiltily ‘takes care’ of his urge in the bathroom, Sammy catches him out. Having previously refused sex with her, Sammy is understandably concerned.

Nathan waves off her worries, determined to keep himself under control – until Layla makes a brazen suggestion. She knows he’s interested, his work is being affected – so why not sleep together? Nathan is shocked. What will he do now his fantasy has the chance to become reality?

Over at the Karandonis house, Artie is preparing for her first day of work at the boat club with Ben. Carbo, who’s aware of his romantic feelings for her, is happy with her choice of job – after all, how much trouble can she get into under the watchful eye of Ben? But he hasn’t met her co-worker Lexi, a cheeky young trouble maker, yet. The pair strike up a friendship and it isn’t long before Lexi leads Artie astray much to Carbo’s dismay.

Chrissy finds herself having a surprising and unwelcome fantasy of her own... about Dave. And an unexpected romance blossoms between Warney and Trish.

Blurring the Lines

The Rafters throw a surprise party for Chel, who's shocked and delighted as the family yells 'surprise.' She is swept up in the family history and moved by the love shown to her. But clouds are gathering.

Rachel and Ted notice worrying marks on Chel's arm. Are they damage veins? Or trackmarks? Rachel takes the news to Dave and Julie, who debate the causes. Surely Chel can’t be a junkie? But they admit they don't know herwell. Dave confronts Chel, who reacts badly to the interrogations. Eventually she reveals the shocking truth.

Julie reacts the most strongly to the news. She doesn’t want Chel in her house any more. This puts her at odds with everyone, especially Dave and Rachel.

Nathan is stricken with guilt over his fling with Layla and manages to lose his wedding ring during the birthday barbecue. He searches for it desperately and lies to Sammy about it. 

Next door, Ben and Melissa are stricken with food poisoning. Their marathon bout of vomiting brings them even closer together. But will it end in Melissa finally accepting Ben's marriage proposal? 

Carbo works hard to fan the flames of his relationship with Artie. But he strikes out. Arties decides her mother has orchestrated the whole thing with Carbo, and, in an act of defiance, agrees to go out with Gavin a shy country singer from the Boat Club.

First Instinct

Dave is determined to give Ben and Melissa the engagement party that he and Julie never had. But his focus is sidetracked by the accidental discovery that Chel’s increasingly regular hospital visits are in fact to the Renal Ward. Melissa surmises that Chel’s kidneys might be failing after more than 20 years on HIV medication. Dave confides in Julie his willingness to be tested as a potential donor.

Melissa is disappointed when her mother calls, explaining that has father has an important board meeting and can’t make the party. However, when Dermott, Melissa’s older, womanising brother arrives, he breaks the news that Melissa’s father had no such meeting. Her dad cynically believes she will once more get cold feet and that the wedding will never happen. 

Melissa is crushed. Seeing her devastation, Ben tells Dave she might not be attending the party. A stand-off ensues. Ben accuses Dave of being more concerned with his own party agenda than with what he and Melissa might want. Melissa finally breaks the impasse and agrees to go.

However, at the party, Dave is unable to resist telling Chel about his decision to test as a donor. He think she will be delighted but she disappears from the party…and their lives, without leaving any contact details.

Nathan is nervous when he hears Steve Wilson is returning from overseas to attend the engagement party. Having slept with Layla, Nathan is terrified that Steve, and more importantly, Sammy could find out.

It's My Party

Now that Julie and Dave are expecting their fourth child, Ted makes plans to withdraw from his superfund and invest in a new unit. Nathan has been calling and texting Sammy hoping for the chance to explain his infidelity. However, she's not answering him. Ted takes a tough love approach, telling Nathan that if he isn't willing to put everything on the line to get Sammy back, then maybe Nathan doesn't love Sammy enough. Dave has been searching for Chel since she ran from the engagement party, with no luck. She has left town with no forwarding address. Ted gallops to the rescue, persuading Melissa to find out which hospital Chel is now going to for her dialysis.

Mr Fix-It

On her last day at work Julie quizzes psychic tea lady Bonnie about the troubling prediction she’d made months earlier. Bonnie still senses a divorce but now she’s sensing something more. It has to do with Julie’s husband Dave. 

Julie is concerned that Chrissy seems to be avoiding her. Then Chrissy drops a bombshell. She says she’s leaving not just her job with Dave, but the state, for some new guy she’s met from Queensland. Julie is stunned and has a nagging doubt that Chrissy is not giving her the full story. 

But when Julie reflects on Chrissy’s actions, she realises the confronting truth of the matter: there is only one man Chrissy would not confide in her about – and that is Dave. Has Chrissy fallen in love with her best friend’s husband?

Rachel spies Sammy having lunch with her ex Owen, and becomes concerned. She enlists Jake to help persuade Sammy to attend his club’s fundraiser day, figuring she can ask Nathan as well. Will her plan to get the warring pair back together work?

Putting the House in Order

When a bunch of flowers arrive for her at work with no card, Rachel assumes Jake must’ve sent them. However, she soon discovers that they are from her ex-boyfriend, meth addict Daniel. Now clean and sober, he has been rehired by CBM Advertising to produce a TV ad for men’s cologne Rampant using Jake as the star.

But when Jake arrives late on the ad shoot, having brought his brother Alex along, the client complaints to Daniel. Daniel agrees to sort it out and speaks down to Alex. Unfortunately, Jake overhears and quits not only the shoot but the whole campaign.

A row breaks out, and Jake ends up hitting Daniel in front of the whole crew. Deeply embarrassed and shocked, Rachel sides with Daniel. As the pair work late into the night to salvage footage from the day’s shoot, a stunned Rachel finds herself feeling attracted to Daniel. Will it spell the end for her and Jake?

Meanwhile, Sammy has just moved back into the Rafter house. She and Nathan are back on track – in every way except physical intimacy. As the Rafters go away for a few days to give the couple some alone time together, Chel takes Nathan aside and gives him some capsules of medical marijuana, believing it will help he and Sammy relax. Dave is furious when he finds out. Is this the final straw for the newfound mother and son?

Space Junk

Ben begins to bow under pressure as his wedding day fast approaches, thanks to a chance meeting with Kat and the arrival of Melissa’s overbearing parents.

At the bucks night, Ben is having a fantastic time until the stripper Carbo has organised arrives. It turns out to be Kat, the woman he slept with and who came between him and Melissa. She questions why Melissa would want to marry someone who’s just the manager of a Boat Club – something that, deep down, Ben has often wondered himself.

Ben is shaken by her words. His feeling of pressure increases with the surprise early arrival of Melissa parents, Linda and Pat. It becomes increasingly clear that Pat thinks Ben isn’t good enough for his daughter – he has no ambition, no drive, no plans for the future. 

Ben panics and, on the morning of their wedding day, disappears. The Rafters throw themselves into finding Ben and hiding the news from Melissa. Will they be able to track him down before the bride finds out?

A Small, Traditional Affair

Ben and Melissa's honeymoon takes an unexpected turn. At the five-star resort they're staying at, they meet another couple, Adrian and Nicole, and hit it off. They become new besties. There might even be a new job in it for Ben. But there's more than meets the eye with this friendly duo. Dave is very aware that Chel is keeping her distance since the wedding. Chel insists they're fine but Dave feels like his mum is a stranger. Julie, who's under strict bed rest after her collapse on the wedding, suggests he try harder. He does by turning up in Ted's place to take Chel to her dialysis treatment. She initially refuses but backs down. At the hospital, she opens up abut his father Tom Jenkins. She admits she doesn't even know where he's buried. Dave decides to do some investigative work to find his father's grave, and with the help of Nathan, makes a shocking discovery.

Only a Heartbeat Away

Nathan has decided he has no possible job options left. But in a way he feels liberated – he’s free to consider impossible options. The world opens up to him again – he’ll become an event manager, or a personal trainer! Sammy is trying to be supportive but it’s wearing her out. 

Determined to do something useful, Nathan secretly tracks down an address for Dave’s father, Tom Jenkins, and drives into the country to suss him out. He meets his cousin, Coby, who seems to be a rough-head compo cheat. He also learns that his grandfather Tom is a notorious local crook, doing time in jail for car rebirthing. Nathan is rocked by the murky gene pool they all share. Is it any wonder his life seems to be falling to pieces?

Julie is still effectively confined to bed, and Rachel is feeling the pressure organising a baby shower that will be fun for Julie and her friends. To complicate matters Chrissy texts to warn she won’t be coming, but sends her love. Rachel can’t understand how Julie’s best friend can miss the party. Julie is clearly hurt, but makes excuses for Chrissy, knowing the real reason she’s kept away. 

Warney is in a funk over Trish and is worse company than usual. Ben and Melissa want him out. Carbo appeals to Sammy – is there any chance she can help get Warney and Trish back together? Sammy can’t think of anything worse, except perhaps the relationship her mother is in now, with her aging rich boss, Andrew Malouf.

Happily married couple Julie and Dave Rafter are over the moon when their last child finally leaves home. But what happens when the rest of the family suddenly returns home to the nest?

Nativity Play

Seasons6

Season 2 Episodes22

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