Christine Elliott is fighting mad when she learns that the dedicated public reserve adjoining her property in Crystal Bay, is facing sale and development. She immediately instigates a campaign to prevent this from happening. However, she faces opposition from the Local Shire Council and also the Local Aboriginal Land Council...the land owners. This group is currently under Government Administration because of serious debt. The Administrator. Paul Henderson, has earmarked the Crystal Bay land as the most appropriate parcel to dispose of. Not everyone in the Land Council is happy about this decision. Charlie Cotton, in particular is seething. He believes he and his family, who have had a long and significant connection with the land, are the rightful owners, and announces his decision to claim Native Title. As a result, Charlie and Paul cross swords and become bitter enemies. When Charlie learns about Christine and her campaign, he makes contact. Christine offers to help with his Claim and sets out to gain pro bono legal assistance. When this isn't forthcoming, she decides to tackle Charlie's Claim herself. This lands both she and Charlie in the Federal Court where they suffer derision and aggression from the opposing legal team. During the course of the next six or so months, Christine steers Charlie's Claim through several steamy and stressful Court Hearings. When a family altercation occurs, Charlie's claim group diminishes and his Claim hangs on by a fragile thread. When defeat seems imminent, Charlie and Christine are overjoyed by the intervention of beautiful barrister, Lisa Denning. During the proceedings, Lisa meets and falls in love with solicitor, Stephen Worthington. But Lisa has skeletons in her own closet and their romance, like Charlie's Claim, runs a rocky path.