Summer Bay is heading into one of its most chaotic years yet as Home and Away 2026 prepares to unleash a turbulent love triangle, deep-rooted secrets, and a catastrophic event that will haunt the Bay for seasons to come. What begins as a quiet romantic storyline quickly escalates into emotional warfare—before a horrifying disaster pushes everyone to the brink.

What sets the drama in motion is the slow-burn relationship forming between Tarné Parata and Joe Harrison. After months of hesitation, the pair finally decide to explore their feelings—but immediately face a major obstacle: Joe’s protective father, David Harrison. When David uncovers Tarné’s police record, including the suspended sentence tied to last year’s kidnapping of baby Poppy, alarm bells ring. Concerned for Joe’s well-being, David personally conducts Tarné’s review and makes his disapproval crystal clear.

Terrified that Joe might be hurt—or pushed away forever—Tarné abruptly ends their new romance without explanation. Joe is left heartbroken and furious, forcing Tarné to confess the real reason behind his withdrawal. The pair reconcile in secret and finally give in to their intense chemistry, even renting a motel to escape prying eyes. But secrecy doesn’t last long in Summer Bay. Joe’s cousin Lacy Prescott discovers the truth, and while Joe is ready to go public, Tarné—still rattled by David’s warnings—insists they keep everything hidden.

Complicating matters further is the arrival of Joe’s ex-boyfriend, Eddie Shepherd, a music teacher newly scouted by Remy and Sunny for their Back on Track label. Old feelings flare instantly. Joe becomes torn between the dangerous spark she shares with Tarné and the stability Eddie once gave her. When Eddie admits that he had planned to propose before Joe’s mother died, the past becomes impossible for her to ignore. And just when she tries to pull back toward Tarné, he rejects her—unwilling to be treated as a fallback choice.

As Joe struggles with her heart, the Back on Track team prepares Eddie for a massive milestone: a surprise performance slot at the Off the Rails Music Festival in Broken Hill. Dozens of Summer Bay locals board a special festival train—including Levi, Mackenzie, Abigail, Dana, Joe, Lacy, Isaac, Holden, and Eddie—turning the ride into a traveling party.

But the celebration ends in horror.

When a group of teenagers flee a tunnel after leaving their bikes on the track, the festival train collides violently, derailing and overturning. The joyous atmosphere transforms into terror as passengers are flung from seats, crushed, and left fighting for survival in the wreckage.

With the season ending on this brutal cliffhanger, fans are left desperate for answers. Who lives? Who dies? And which man—Tarné or Eddie—will Joe choose if she survives?

Producers insist the fallout will define the entirety of 2026, with one character’s death triggering a wave of consequences that will reshape Summer Bay forever.