First televised in 1992 it ran for 12 episodes.
Billed as a “fly-on-the-wall” documentary series that followed the life of an Australian family living in the affluent Sydney suburb of Sylvania Waters.
The show documented the lives of Noeline Baker and Laurie Donaher of 48 Macintyre Crescent in the Sydney waterside suburb of Sylvania Waters over a six-month period, emphasising the couple’s new found and luxurious lifestyle as well as interpersonal conflicts.
The immediate family consisted of
Noeline Baker, mother of Paul, Joanne and Michael
Laurie Donaher, Noeline’s partner of 13 years, father of Mick and Stephen
Paul Baker, Noeline’s eldest son from a previous relationship, who doesn’t get along with Laurie.
One Australian news outlet called the show “Neighbours gone mad, Home and Away on drugs”.
In the first episode Michael introduces us to his family, his mother Noeline and her long time partner Laurie, who live in a million dollar waterfront mansion in the Sydney suburb of Sylvania Waters.
The couple started out with nothing, and after building a successful business, now spend their weekends on their boat Blasé, drinking with friends.
In contrast, Michael’s brother Paul lives in a rented dilapidated house, with his heavily pregnant girlfriend Dione.
At the end of the episode, Noelene and Laurie announces their plans to get married in Monaco with their neighbours Pat and Alan by their side.
Sylvania Waters - episode 1
The matriarch of the family, Noeline Donaher passed away in May 2023.
