Sarah Roberts Reflects on Life After Scrublands and the Possibility of a Summer Bay Return

In the haunting outback town of Augusta, Western Australia, where shadows linger in the red dirt and murder whispers in the wind, Scrublands season two finds its pulse. And right at its heart stands Sarah Roberts — a performer reborn. Best known to many as Willow Harris from Home and Away, Sarah dives into darker, more cerebral waters as she reprises the role of the razor-sharp journalist Beth Ramachandran in the gritty crime drama Scrublands: Silver. But as Roberts embraces new creative frontiers, she also reflects on where she came from — and what might lie ahead, including a possible return to the beloved shores of Summer Bay.

For Roberts, Scrublands was more than a project — it was an immersion into another world. The moment she set foot in Augusta, the town where the series was filmed, she was swept into an experience as unnerving as it was unforgettable. “It felt like I had grown up on the way there,” Sarah shares in a dramatic recollection to TV Week. “I arrived very late the night before we started filming, turned on the taps in my accommodation, and bright red water came pouring out. I’d just read the scripts filled with murder and suspense, so I immediately thought I was in a horror story.” The unsettling moment, she later discovered, was caused by rusty pipes in a long-unused house — not a crime scene. Still, the eerie welcome became the perfect emotional primer for what lay ahead.

“It actually helped,” Sarah laughs. “I didn’t need to act scared — I was scared!” That experience, along with nightly walks home from co-star Luke Carroll, who plays Scotty, helped foster a close-knit bond with the cast. “Being on location with a team like this… there’s something magic about it. You form connections fast.”

In Scrublands: Silver, Beth returns not as a sidelined voice on the other end of a phone line, but as a central force. No longer isolated, Beth is pulled into the gritty heart of the story alongside journalist Martin Scarsden (played by Luke Arnold). The two unite to investigate the murder of Martin’s childhood friend and clear the name of his partner Mandy — a woman the entire town seems ready to condemn.

“This season really deepens the relationships,” Sarah explains. “Beth and Martin had this electric banter in season one, but now we see more complexity. They’re intelligent, driven, and both cutthroat when it comes to getting the truth.” For Roberts, finally stepping into scenes with her fellow actors was a long-awaited reward. “In season one, I filmed everything alone — just voiceovers and phone calls. I even went to the wrap party without ever having been on set! Some of the crew thought I was from accounting.”

With Scrublands demanding such rich emotional range, it’s clear that this role marks a dramatic evolution from Sarah’s days in Summer Bay. But her Home and Away legacy as Willow Harris still follows her across the globe. “I was in Belgium recently for a Home and Away Q&A, and the fans were just incredible,” she says, still marveling at their devotion. “They remembered everything about Willow. I didn’t think she’d still resonate after all these years.”

And resonate she does — perhaps because Willow’s storyline was as fiery and layered as the actress herself. From fighting for love to facing heartbreak, Willow was never one to shy away from raw emotion, a trait Sarah clearly carries into her present roles. So would she ever go back to the Bay?

“I’d always consider returning,” Sarah says with a wistful smile. “When I first left Home and Away, I was heartbroken. It had been such a big part of my life. But now, I love what I’m doing. I’ve grown. I’m working on projects that challenge me in new ways.”

That personal growth isn’t just professional — it’s deeply personal too. At the end of 2024, Sarah celebrated a milestone birthday: turning 40. It was a moment of reflection and purpose, especially after years of loss and change. The past half-decade brought her the grief of losing her brother at just 45 and the emotional end of her marriage to Home and Away co-star James Stewart. Yet through the heartbreak, Sarah found strength.

“Turning 40 was huge for me,” she says, her voice laced with quiet determination. “Losing my brother made me ask: If I only have a few more years, how do I want to spend them? That perspective has changed everything. I don’t hate getting older — it’s a privilege.”

Her latest projects reflect that newfound passion. In addition to Scrublands, Sarah has stepped into a broader creative arena, including the comedy series Colin From Accounts and the upcoming documentary Make It Look Real. “I’m exploring all sides of myself now. Drama, comedy, documentary — it’s all part of the journey. I love being stretched in different directions.”

That attitude — open, fearless, and forward-thinking — is exactly what makes Sarah Roberts such a magnetic presence both onscreen and off. Whether she’s chasing down a killer in the fictional streets of a sun-bleached Aussie town or contemplating a future that might once again include the surf and sand of Summer Bay, Sarah is writing a new chapter — one bold, beautiful moment at a time.

“I don’t know exactly what’s next,” she says. “But I wake up every day excited to find out.”

And with that, Sarah Roberts continues her transformation — from soap sensation to multifaceted star — leaving both haunted towns and hopeful fans in her wake.