Helen Tremaine (Susie Porter) has returned to the island of the Torres Strait where she had previously worked alongside the people of the local villages as a Remote Area Nurse (RAN). Helen is a strong woman with a strong distaste for authority. Although she fearlessly takes on local politics and everyday troubles that arise in the community, Helen struggles to fit in. She seems to be in never-ending conflict with locals who do not want their culture changed. They want to keep their island as it is but also know they need help from outsiders, like Helen, to support their people and protect them from dangers such as Dengue Fever.