In the upcoming chapters of Home and Away, a wave of heartbreak and bittersweet hope sweeps through Summer Bay as Irene Roberts makes a life-changing announcement that shocks even those who know her best. After a heartfelt chat with Sunny plants an unexpected seed of inspiration, Irene declares her plan to leave her beloved town behind and embark on a worldwide journey, determined to embrace life while she still has the chance. What begins as a quiet effort to get her affairs in order soon spirals into a series of emotional confrontations, tearful exchanges, and desperate pleas from her friends, who aren’t ready to let her go.

The story opens with Jon dropping by Irene’s home, only to find her sorting through boxes of trinkets, ornaments, and keepsakes. At first, Jon assumes she’s preparing for a garage sale, but Irene calmly explains she’s organizing her possessions into gifts for her loved ones. Though the gesture seems thoughtful, Jon immediately senses the deeper meaning—she’s preparing for a future when she may not be able to make those decisions herself. Having recently signed over her share of the diner, Irene’s resolve to simplify her life is her way of ensuring she won’t leave a burden behind.

Word quickly spreads. Leah soon arrives at the beach house, unsettled by what she sees but touched when Irene gifts her a treasured teapot. For Irene, the teapot isn’t just porcelain—it symbolizes the strength that carried her through her recovery from alcoholism. She wants Leah to keep it as a reminder of the bond that helped her survive her darkest days. Leah accepts with gratitude, but beneath her smile lingers unease at how easily Irene is letting go of the past.

Later, the trio—Leah, Jon, and Marilyn—gather at the diner, where Irene insists that she’s not rushing recklessly, but deliberately taking control of her story. Her friends plead with her to slow down, yet Irene’s quiet insistence shows she’s already made peace with her decision. Their concern only deepens when she spends evenings revisiting old photographs, smiling wistfully at memories like Leah and Justin’s wedding, even as Jon gently urges her not to shut her friends out.

The tension boils over when Dana and Sunny arrive to find Irene purging more of her belongings. Irene explains candidly that she doesn’t want to become a burden or risk being sent away to a care facility. The room grows heavy with unspoken fear until Sunny lightens the mood with a joke about her memory. Against expectations, Irene laughs—a spark of joy that momentarily dissolves the gloom. Encouraged, Sunny helps pack boxes for charity, showing his belief that Irene’s actions are not surrender but empowerment.

That night, Sunny finds her thumbing through her collection of postcards from friends who’ve traveled across the globe. As Irene laments the places she’ll never see, Sunny challenges her: why should illness dictate what comes next, when she still has time and control? His words strike deeply. By the next morning, Irene shocks Leah, Dana, and Sunny by announcing her decision to sell her home and set out on an adventure around the world.

The revelation splits opinions. Leah and Dana are shaken, trying to make sense of what this means, while Sunny openly supports Irene’s newfound dream. Tensions flare when Irene overhears doubts about her capability, prompting her to kick them all out so she can continue planning in peace. At the diner, Alf reacts with skepticism, calling the idea reckless, and Dana storms off after blaming Sunny for encouraging Irene. Yet in private, she softens, admitting her anger came from love and fear of losing the maternal presence Irene has become.

The emotional climax comes when Irene faces Leah and Alf directly. They stage an intervention, hoping to talk her out of her plan, but Irene bristles at what she sees as an ambush. Her voice firm, she warns them not to stand in her way—she won’t sit idly in Summer Bay waiting for her condition to worsen. She’d rather be remembered for her vitality, not her decline. With calm conviction, she explains that she’ll put safeguards in place but refuses to waste precious time.

Though Leah and Alf remain uneasy, they finally begin to see that Irene’s determination is unshakable. She doesn’t ask them to be happy about her decision—only to grant her their blessing so she can leave knowing her closest friends support her. The episode closes with Irene gazing at her postcards once more, her eyes filled with a mix of longing and resolve, while her friends wrestle with their grief. Will they be able to let her go, or will love and fear keep them trying to hold her back?

Home and Away delivers one of its most poignant arcs yet, as Irene’s shocking plan forces Summer Bay to confront the meaning of friendship, love, and the courage to live life on one’s own terms—even in the shadow of heartbreak.