Packed To The Rafters

It's been three months since Ben and Nathan left on their road trip around Australia. Bearded and tanned, Ben returns without Nathan and smooths over his family's concern with a plausible excuse. He believes that if he wants to fit back in with his family, he has to be the fun loving guy he was before Melissa died.

It's a time for new beginnings as Dave learns the truth about underlying tensions between Ben and the recently returned Nathan and urges his sons to start afresh. As Council Clean-Up Days looms Dave gets the clean-out bug, chucking stuff out from the big and small sheds.

Rachel wrestles with the potentially relationship-wrecking pitfalls of getting everything you want - particularly when truth is number one on the wish-list. Guilt-ridden about invading Coby's private garage space, Rachel compounds her sin by inadvertently offering his artwork as part of an advertising campaign. 

The aftermath of Jake's ill-fated rugby weekend is fully felt as Julie realises how much perception and misperception can affect the lives of her family and friends. Rachel is determined to support Jake in light of his charges of attempted sexual assault.

Nathan examines what it means to be free as he receives potentially upsetting news - his divorce from Sammy is final. The Rafter family have all witnessed Nathan's heartbreak over the end of the marriage and there is reasonable concern that Nathan could suffer an emotional setback over this.

Nathan doesn't have much luck getting attention for his Parts Exchange website, so he makes up some flyers to distribute around the town, with Ben's help - help Ben is all too willing to give when he realises a comic mishap might've gotten across the wrong message.

Rachel's doubts are intensified as she visits Jake to invite him to her farewell dinner. One thing leads to another and the invitation inevitably turns into a moment of good-bye passion. With Rachel now confused, Nathan convinces her she's made the right decision and she'll regret it forever if she doesn't go.

Dave relishes finally having a relationship with his dad, Tom, despite Julie's reservations about her recently paroled father-in-law. Julie raises concerns that Tom may not have reformed his crooked ways.

The comic rivalry between Ted and Tom continues. Ted's convinced Tom isn't looking for work at all, instead sneaking off to spend time with an unknown lady friend.

Julie finds herself out of her comfort zone when she attends a burlesque dance class with new friend Donna. Dave comes across some lingerie that Julie has bought for her performance, but when she doesn't wear it, he is left feeling jealous and insecure.

Tom is recovering in hospital when he gets a visit from his granddaughter, Bree, but Coby is less than thrilled with the arrival of his feisty sister.

Julie's new friendship with Donna is tested when she discovers that Donna suffers from OCD.

Dave leaps at the chance when his successful friend Warney, offers him a shot at the contract for a big office rewiring job.

Ben opens up to Emma about Melissa's death, and the cathartic experience enables him to finally get some closure.

Ben initiates a night on the town with the boys, and everyone is impressed by the up-market nightclub who's owner is courting Ben as a potential investor in his next business venture.

Everybody is up in arms about Tom's disappearance with the insurance money. Coby is particularly gutted, secretly blaming himself for not being honest with the Rafters about Tom's part in the worksite robberies.

Ted makes a jocular remarks about professional electricians' events, which inspires Julie to book a table for six at the impending annual awards ceremony. Coby is delighted when she even has new business cards printed, so he starts handing them out everywhere.

Dave's increasingly exhausted as the demands of his new job take their toll, and for the first time in his life he forgets his anniversary. Julie convinces Dave that his exhaustion is a sign...

Dave still won't meet Matt, but the boys drag him along to a concert, where sort of a musicians bond is established. Ben quickly regrets having accepted to join CorboRetta using up Tina's expiring movie theatre subscription.

Besides brewing his own beer 'Ted's Tap', and despite the bottle all around, Ted is approved for the Great Mates program, as substitute father figure for super-shy preteen Cooper.

The Rafter brothers can't help gloating when CarboRetta's secrecy blows up in their face as anxiously sleepwalking Carbo's parents arrive early, so it's too late to tell them about the eloping.

Ben plans a romantic dinner with 'dessert' while CarboRetta are on honeymoon, but due to a misunderstanding it's cut short and the 'happy couple' returns rowing.