Home and Away in WA: cameras rolling as soap stars Stephen Peacocke and Bonnie Sveen touch down in Perth

From Summer Bay to WA, Home and Away has started filming a series of special episodes out west, with much-loved former stars Stephen Peacocke and Bonnie Sveen touching down in Perth earlier this week to begin shooting their scenes.

The pair are reprising their roles as hugely popular on-screen couple, Darryl “Brax” Braxton and Erica “Ricky” Sharpe, last seen driving out of Summer Bay with their infant son Casey in 2016.

“We are here for a couple of weeks,” Sveen told The West Australian.

“We will definitely be making the most of WA’s spectacular beaches, and wild places — I am really looking forward to exploring those.”

Storyline details remain under strict lock and key, but eagle-eyed fans have taken to social media this week after spotting the pair filming in multiple locations across Perth.

Production has since headed north to film in top secret locations across WA’s stunning Coral Coast.

It’s the first time in Home and Away’s 38-year history that the series has been filmed in Western Australia, with the episodes produced in partnership with Tourism Western Australia, who assisted in bringing the iconic soap to our shores.

“It’s been so good,” Peacocke said of his return to playing his iconic River Boy character, Brax.

“As soon as I heard about (the episodes being filmed in WA) and we worked out if logistically it could all happen, I just knew I really wanted to do it.

“I was excited to get back into the old boardies — fortunately now they have worked out a quicker way to do my (character’s) tattoos, so it’s on the up and up!”

The planned specials have been in the works for some time, with producers saying they always hoped the episodes, which will finally answer the burning question of what Brax and Ricky have been up to this past decade, could be filmed in Western Australia.

“It’s been just incredible,” series producer Lucy Addario told The Sunday Times.

“Just to see Bonnie and Steve back as Brax and Ricky has been fantastic.”

Series Executive Producer Julie McGauran said fans will also be excited to meet the couple’s now 11 year-old son, Casey, who is being played by an as-yet-unannounced young Eastern States-based actor.

“It was his first day on set yesterday, and he just hit it out of the park,” she said.

“Everyone gave him a cheer when he finished his scenes.”

Sveen says she is thoroughly enjoying stepping back into the skin of her much-loved character, who has been living an isolated life in Western Australia in the years since last appearing on screens.

“It’s been everything,” she told The Sunday Times.

“It’s like nothing has changed and everything has changed, and it’s really actually very comforting to be back with the cast and crew, and to see all these old faces.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I’d get to work with some of this crew again, and I didn’t know if I’d ever get to work with Steve again, acting wise, so it’s just been awesome.”

Peacocke, who has carved a place for himself as one of the country’s most in-demand actors, starring in The Newsreader and Five Bedrooms in recent years, said he was thrilled to be back in Western Australia.

“I have been to Perth before, and been to Esperance and seen the incredible coastline there, but you have got some pretty awesome outback country in WA as well — that is 99.9 per cent of what you have got here — so I’m looking forward to seeing some more of the open country while I am here,” he said.

“Perth has an awesome city, and the beaches and everything are spectacular, but you have got this incredible red outback as well, so I am looking forward to getting out there to check it out.”

Home and Away’s eagerly-awaited episodes will screen on Seven and 7plus in 2026.