Home and Away is wasting absolutely no time in 2026. When the iconic Australian soap returns to Seven and 7plus on Monday, 19 January 2026 at 7:00pm,

it launches its thirty-ninth season with a jaw-dropping double punch: a catastrophic train derailment that leaves lives hanging by a thread, and the long-rumoured,

deeply emotional return of fan favourites Brax and Ricky after a decade away. For long-time viewers and new fans alike, this is a season opener designed to reshape Summer Bay forever.

Picking up immediately after the explosive 2025 finale, the new season plunges viewers back into chaos. What was meant to be a joyful trip to a Broken Hill music festival has become a nightmare, as a packed passenger train derails inside a dark, unstable tunnel. The wreckage is brutal. The silence afterward is terrifying. And the fate of some of the Bay’s most loved characters remains uncertain.

A Celebration Turns Into Catastrophe

The final moments of 2025 left audiences stunned as the train jumped the tracks, sending carriages smashing into tunnel walls in a screech of metal and sparks. On board were Justin, Mackenzie, Remi, Abigail, Dana, Sonny, Lacey, Jo, and Eddie — a cross-section of Summer Bay that ensured the fallout would be felt across every corner of the community.

As the 2026 season opens, there are no easy answers. Smoke fills the tunnel. Carriages are twisted and unstable. Some passengers are unconscious, others trapped, injured, or desperately trying to help one another in near-total darkness. The sense of fear is raw and immediate, with every moment raising the same chilling question: who will make it out alive?

The aftermath is not just about physical survival. As emergency sirens echo and news of the crash reaches Summer Bay, the emotional shockwaves ripple outward. Loved ones gather, waiting for updates that may come too slowly — or not at all.

Tane Parata’s Reckless Gamble

At the heart of the disaster storyline is Tane Parata, played by Ethan Browne, whose instinct to protect those he loves drives him to a dangerous, defiant decision. As emergency crews arrive and assess the collapsing tunnel, strict orders are given: no one goes in until it is secured.

Tane ignores them.

In a moment that defines both his courage and his flaws, Tane rushes into the wreckage, knowing full well he could be killed. His choice instantly becomes the moral and emotional fault line of the early season. Is he a hero willing to risk everything — or a reckless man endangering his own life and complicating rescue efforts?

Inside the tunnel, Tane is forced to make impossible decisions. Who does he reach first? Who can be saved — and who may be beyond help? Every second counts, and every choice leaves a mark that won’t fade once the dust settles.

Outside, Cash, Levi, and David are pushed to their limits. Torn between professional protocol and personal loyalty, they must decide how far rules can bend in the face of human desperation. As adrenaline surges and grief looms, even the strongest bonds are tested, threatening to fracture under pressure.

Consequences That Won’t Be Forgotten

The train derailment is not a short-term shock storyline — it is the foundation of the season. Survivors will carry both visible injuries and invisible scars. Relationships will change. Guilt, trauma, and unanswered questions will linger long after the wreckage is cleared.

For some, survival will come with a heavy price. For others, the loss may be unbearable. And for Summer Bay as a whole, the disaster becomes a defining moment — a reminder that life can change in an instant, even in a town known for sun, surf, and second chances.

A Return Ten Years in the Making

Just as the season plunges viewers into darkness, Home and Away delivers a powerful emotional counterpoint: the long-awaited return of Brax and Ricky. After ten years away from screens, Stephen Peacocke and Bonnie Sveen step back into their iconic roles in a major special event storyline filmed in Western Australia.

Their return has been whispered about for years, and now it finally arrives — not as a brief cameo, but as a meaningful chapter that promises closure, revelation, and nostalgia in equal measure.

Filmed against stunning Perth landmarks, including Elizabeth Quay and the Bell Tower, the storyline answers a question fans have been asking since 2016: where did life take Brax and Ricky after they left Summer Bay?

Where Are They Now?

Time has changed both characters. Brax, once defined by his dangerous past and fierce loyalty, returns carrying the weight of everything he’s lived through since leaving the Bay. Ricky, who walked away seeking peace and a fresh start, brings her own emotional history — and unfinished business.

Their reunion is layered with warmth, tension, and reflection. What dreams came true? What didn’t? And what does it mean for them to look back on the place where everything began?

Stephen Peacocke has described stepping back into Brax’s boots as deeply emotional. “It felt like a homecoming,” he said, admitting he hadn’t even realised a full decade had passed since he last played the character. That sense of history is woven into every scene, offering fans a rare chance to reconnect with two characters who helped define an era of the show.

Two Stories, One Defining Season

What makes the 2026 season opener especially powerful is the contrast between its two major arcs. On one side, there is devastation, urgency, and loss — a reminder of how fragile life can be. On the other, there is reflection, reunion, and the enduring pull of home.

Together, these stories underline what Home and Away has always done best: blending high-stakes drama with deep emotional resonance. Whether viewers are gripping their seats during rescue scenes or wiping away tears as familiar faces return, the message is clear — Summer Bay is entering a new chapter.

With lives changed, relationships tested, and legends returning, the thirty-ninth season promises not just shock and spectacle, but lasting impact. One thing is certain: after the deadly derailment and the return of Brax and Ricky, Summer Bay will never be the same again.