Finlay first appears as a runaway who unsuccessfully attempts to get a free meal from the Diner and sleeps at the boat shed. She spends the night on one of the boats but wakes up to find it has been taken out by Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts) and Lucinda Croft (Dee Smart). When they discover her, Lou gives her money to stay at the caravan park. She befriends Sophie Simpson (Rebekah Elmaloglou) and tells her of her plan to support herself through school. Sophie helps persuade Ailsa Stewart (Judy Nunn and Bobby Simpson(Nicolle Dickson) to give her a job at the Diner. Finlay applies to Summer Bay High but the new principal Lois Crawford (Tina Bursill) is trying to turn the school into a more elite establishment and doesn't want Finlay attending. Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn), who has been demot