Jill Blake arrives in the dusty one-horse town of Paringa, but things get off to a rocky start for the enthusiastic young vet when she meets her new boss Kate McDonald, who has a reputation for being difficult.

Jill is shocked by the austerity of life in the drought stricken area, and is sensitive to every sign of distress and decline. From the bruise on Gail Klein's cheek to Kate's attempt to exclude her from Tom Huppatz's father's funeral, Jill senses there is much amiss in this place, and it goes far beyond the lack of rain.

Achmed Aziz, an Iraqi agronomist, arrives on a study tour and Kate fears he will submit a report on the condition of the local sheep.

Jill takes over in the practise after Kate gets injured in a cattle yard accident. Together they treat Larry, who suffers from a gunshot wound, performing a highly illegal life-saving surgery.

A horrific attack by a pack of dogs on the Balfour farm leads Jill to show her true worth. Kate unexpectedly rewards her by making a confession about the night her husband died.

Relieved of the burden of her secret, Kate appears to have lost the will to challenge the area's destiny.