Katie (800 Words)

Katie is a part-Māori artist and owner of the local arts and crafts ‘gallery’. She’s also a tireless fighter for the rights of the ordinary people of Weld and opponent of big money interests in the region.

Katie is one of the ex-lovers of Zac, with whom she has a child, Billy, who is the absolute love of her life.

Anna Jullienne says her character spends a lot of time with George because Weld is a small town and Katie’s son Billy is the same age as George’s son Arlo.

“Because Katie has lived in the same town her whole life and raised her son there, she hasn’t had a whole lot of fresh starts, so new blood in her community is definitely exciting,” she says. “When George and the Turner family rock up, the whole community, especially the women, find this new man quite interesting. Good gossip fodder at least!”