A Country Practice

A Country Practice Picture

Cast:
Laura Armstrong as Georgie Wilks
Claudia Black as Claire Bonacci
Andrew Blackman as Dr. Harry Morrison
Vince Colosimo as Snr. Constable Danny Sabatini
Paul Gleeson as Ian McIntyre
Jane Hall as Vet. Jess Morrison
Joyce Jacobs as Esme Watson
Joan Sydney as Matron Maggie Sloan

(shown on ITV in the UK)

This dramatic series dealt with the people and events in and around the rural hospital, veterinary practice and medical clinic of Wandin Valley, a small fictional country town in New South Wales, Australia.

Claudia Black played the part of Claire Bonacci in four episodes. The episode numbers are 1055 to 1058.

Detailed Synopsis: "Cyclone Claire" 1055-1056
New nurse Claire Bonacci arrives in the district. After getting lost on her way to the hospital, Claire arrives at the scene of a car accident where she is soon joined by Ian. At the hospital, Claire stays with one of the accident victims, a pregnant woman, while Terence operates on her husband. Ian leads Darcy and Trevor Jackson into the national park in search of the two llamas Ian claims to have seen earlier in the day. Anna solves a mystery illness in a dog and discovers that her mobile phone plays havoc with a client's hearing aid. Claire moves in with Ian at Willow Tree. Anna finds an adult magazine in Billy's bedroom.

Detailed Synopsis: "Burning Bright" 1057-1058
Christmas is looming as the hospital is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Tom takes out an Apprehended Violence Order against Peter Courtland but when he goes out to his farm to collect Peter's firearms, Peter takes him hostage. Tom manages to take Peter into custody but during their struggle, a fire breaks out and begins to spread and gain strength. The fire combines with out-of-control bush fires in the area and soon threatens the entire community of Wandin Valley resulting in a massive campaign being launched to save the town and its residents. Rosemary and Terence go on a trip to visit the first person ever to be born in the hospital. Maggie Sloan and Vicky Dean return for the centenary celebrations.
With the fire raging around them, Terence and Rosemary struggle to get back to the hospital which is being evacuated as the fire closes in. Anna is preparing to evacuate her surgery when Vicky Dean appears with Fatso, she has run him over. With Anna unable to operate due to being pregnant, Vicky operates to save her old friend's life. Leaving Anna and Tom's house with Billy, Darcy stops to check on an injured animal but George runs off into the fire and Billy goes in after him. Lost in the smoke and flames, Darcy and Billy are lead back to safety by Luke Ross who has just returned to town. Terence and Rosemary are about to close up the hospital when a patient's buzzer draws them back in. They find no one else in the hospital but are too late to escape as the fire has engulfed the building, forcing them to hole up and wait for the fire to pass. As the hospital burns around them, Terence and Rosemary pledge to get married if they survive the blaze. Claire goes into the bush in search of an elderly man dressed as Santa Claus and after finding him, they are winched to safety by helicopter. With the heart of the fire having passed by, Terence and Rosemary safely make their way out of the hospital. Esme accompanies Perce to Burrigan after he complains of chest pains. Anna informs Tom that she is pregnant. One month after the fire: Anna learns that her baby will be a girl, Terence and Rosemary are married -by marriage celebrant Bernice Hudson.

After the Seven Network canceled production of A Country Practice in 1993, a new series was produced by Network Ten in 1994. This new incarnation was not favourably received and production ended after just 30 episodes. Numerous changes came with the change of networks, the standard two part episode of the original series was cut back to a one episode per week format and the fictional community of Wandin Valley was transplanted south from New South Wales to Victoria. Claudia continued her role as Claire Bonacci in this second series.

Episode Guide

  1. "Straight From The Heart"
  2. "Love Potion Number Nine"
  3. "The Trouble With Women"
  4. "Best Of Friends"
  5. "Too Young"
  6. "Mother's Day"
  7. "The Grass Is Greener"
  8. "There Was a Crooked Man"
  9. "His Own Medicine"
  10. "Are You Lonesome Tonight"
  11. "Indiscreet"
  12. "Solomon's Child"
  13. "Where's Wally"
  14. "Tuesday's Child"
  15. "Dirty Washing"
  16. "Thicker Than Water"
  17. "Send Me A Dream"
  18. "It's A Wonderful Life"
  19. "A Taste Of Honey"
  20. "Tunnel Vision"
  21. "Pegasus"
  22. "Keeping The Faith"
  23. "On The Edge"
  24. "Running Wild"
  25. "Family Business"
  26. "Family Tree"
  27. "Survival"
  28. "Little Girl Lost"
  29. "Love Me Do"
  30. "Future Perfect"

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