When Jack McLeod passes away, his two daughters inherit Drovers Run, a vast cattle ranch in the Australian outback. Ultimately, Tess and Claire decide to run the ranch together, with their housekeeper, Meg, her teenage daughter, Jodi, and a local girl, Becky. Their lives are hard and the obstacles many, but the rewards are every bit as grand as the wild open land they've inherited.
The fourth season of McLeod's Daughters originally aired from 11 February 2004 to 24 November 2004 and consisted of 32 episodes.
Six months after Claire's death, Tess has thrown herself into work and decides to reinstate the horse breeding and training programme at Drovers. A stolen horse, a raging bushfire, and Stevie defying orders push Tess to the limit, resulting in her breakdown.
Tess is disconcerted to learn Stevie can 'read' her so well whilst playing poker. Stevie explains the theory of 'tells' – signs that give away what a person is really thinking. Stevie finds herself set up as prime suspect for 'borrowing' Sandra's bull, Crusher, after agreeing to transport him for Sandra and settle the outstanding debt between them. When Crusher turns up in a Drovers paddock, apparently ready to service cows on heat, the finger of suspicion is immediately pointed at Stevie. Tess, unaware of Stevie's 'deal' with Sandra and knowing Stevie's history of 'borrowing' other people's possessions, reluctantly thinks the worst. Hoping to avoid police involvement, she agrees to sign over half the calves resulting from the serviced cattle to Sandra. Outraged, Stevie does her own sleuthing on Sandra's property and learns Crusher broke his penis several days ago. There's no way he could have sired any offspring and she and Tess realise they've been had.
Tess' world is turned upside down by the arrival of a man claiming to be Jack McLeod's long lost son.
Sandra has a surprising solution when Alex and Nick face a heart wrenching decision, while Tess tackles her own problems with a charging bull and a gate.
Stevie uncovers a dying man's secret, and some secrets of her own are ready to rock Drovers Run.
When Tess's fantasy world collides with reality, she finds herself pulled in two different directions, and must decide between the two men who love her.
Tess and Nick try to put their faltering relationship back on track, but there is an explosion that neither sees coming.
Alex is taken by surprise when his first love, Tracey Morrison, arrives at Killarney. She's come a long way since their days together on the rodeo circuit - she's now the manager of a highly successful and huge scale 'wild west' rodeo style show, and she's allegedly in town to scout for new talent. Stevie's not at all impressed by the arrival of her former mate, describing Tracey as ""Alex's worst nightmare"". She recalls her own hurt when Tracey dumped her at a time when she really needed a friend. She also vividly remembers having to scrape up the pieces after Tracey dumped Alex ten years ago. For Stevie, the arrival stirs feelings of discontent as she can't help but compare her life to Tracey's, and feel very inadequate in comparison.
Tess has a fight on her hands when Peter claims custody of Charlotte. Alex enlists the help of his barrister father, Bryce.
An old well on Drovers Run holds a forgotten secret for Tess, leading her to a devastating decision about the future. Nick and Alex receive some surprising news.
Stevie's ex husband arrives at Drovers with some surprising news - their divorce never went through, he's here to win her back.
Tess trusts the wrong stranger and has to rescue Jodi from a dangerous situation.
Drastic changes are about to happen when Meg's sister, Celia, pays a visit and Meg takes a long hard look at her future.
Jodi battles with what seems like the biggest decision of her life after Kate Manfredi marches into Drovers Run, while Sandra's pregnancy causes more sorrow than joy.
The girls hit the road, decked out in their finest for a big night at the B & S ball, but Stevie has a secret agenda that the others are about to uncover.
When Stevie's daughter Rose arrives unannounced, life at Drovers is thrown into turmoil for everyone - and Stevie is faced with revealing the biggest secret of her life.
An innocent flirtation turns into something more dangerous for Kate as Stevie and Alex finally realise their dream of starting a rodeo school.
Stevie falls for the charismatic Kane, while Alex's growing friendship with him creates estrangement between the Ryan brothers.
Tess's birthday forces her to take a long, hard look at herself, but she ""sees"" more than she bargained for and unwittingly creates some midsummer night's madness.
Alex and Stevie's friendship is put to the test when Kane comes between them.
Tess's plans to propose to Nick go haywire when Dave makes a discovery that threatens to derail the proposal permanently.
When Stevie's unwelcome visit from her past catches up with her, she decides to run again, ultimately making a decision that will change her future and the future of others - and this time she asks Kane to come with her. But will a dark secret Kane is keeping change everything? Meanwhile, just what are Harry's plans for Tess and Drover's following her engagement to Nick? With Tess and Nick making it official Harry sees this as his way in for Drovers.
As marriage looms for Tess and Nick, Tess finds herself in over her head.
Forever unlucky in love, Jodi Fountain finally looked set for some happiness with newcomer Luke Morgan. But just as the romance is blossoming, Jodi's new position in the Country Fire Service is compromised, when suspicion falls on Luke over a series of arson attacks. And while she initially leaps to his defence, eventually even Jodi finds herself suspecting Luke. Elsewhere, newly engaged pair Tess and Nick sit for a pre-marriage compatibility test and achieve a 100 per cent score.
An earth tremor makes Tess worried about the omens for her wedding to Nick, but when the earth moves for Stevie and Alex, they try and pretend that nothing happened.
Nick and Tess approach the altar at last, but there's family heartache to endure before any glimpse of a gold ring and a future together.
Both Kate and Stevie let pride take over trying to prove themselves in preparation for Tess and Nick's return from their honeymoon. A move within the homestead at Drover's, courtesy of Stevie, provides Alex with healing as a long held weight is lifted.
The Drovers girls have a tough time adjusting to Nick as the new 'Man of the House', and when Dave makes a career-threatening mistake, love, loyalty and family ties are called into question.
Past passions are whispering around the halls of Drovers Run as Tess's cousin Jasmine arrives with her father's ashes and a few other skeletons besides.
Alex helps Jasmine McLeod overcome her fear of riding and in the process finds himself falling in love with her; Meanwhile Tess decides she wants to start a family but how will Nick cope when Charlotte comes to stay.
Nick and Tess discover the honeymoon is well and truely over when Nick's ex-girlfriend, Sally Clements, returns with a revelation that might threaten the newlywed Nick and Tess's happiness. Stevie is also shocked to discover who her secret admirer is...will she be able to resist his charms?
Tensions are rife with Kane now living in the cottage with Stevie and Sally staying in the big house with Nick and Tess. Stevie struggles to trust Kane when it appears as though he might be reverting to old ways. Tess struggles with the revelation of Nick's impending fatherhood, which is compounded by the family's reaction to the new arrival.