The Home and Away dream of an Aussie soap superfan

All Julia Hales wants is to appear in her favourite soap opera.

The Australian performer has been a fan of Home and Away since it first aired in 1988, when she was eight-years-old.

Since then, she has never missed an episode of the soap, which is set in the fictional seaside town of Summer Bay in New South Wales.

And she has long harboured ambitions to be the first person with Down's syndrome to appear on the programme, broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK.

Now she has created a hugely popular show about that dream which is running at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Julia appears alongside six actors from Western Australia in the "live documentary", You Know We Belong Together, which is set in Summer Bay's famous diner.

It is described as a "deeply personal exploration of the frustrations and aspirations of living with Down's syndrome".

Julia told BBC Scotland: "It's a message for everyone that people with disabilities and Down Syndrome can be on stage because I want everyone to hear them and what they can do.

"That's why I like to have people see us on stage, and TV and film."

"I've never missed an episode, I love the old characters and the new characters," she added "I love the action, the drama, the romance of it all and I just can't wait to be a part of it."

As a child, she even wrote her own character in the role she wanted to play.

She added: "I wanted to be the first woman with Down's syndrome on the show. I don't get to see many people like me on screen or on TV, or film or stages and so that's why I wanted to be the first one."

Julia wrote the script with Finn O'Branagáin and director Clare Watson.

The show explores themes of finding love, friendship, inclusivity and the frustrations of growing up.

You Know We Belong Together toured Australia in 2019 and was supposed to be shown at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival in 2020, but was postponed due to Covid.

"It was really disappointing because I spent so many years working on it," Julia said.

The show should have been performed from 24-27 August, but Julia was struck down with Covid which meant missing the first two days of performances.

She said: "I know it's been a long time getting here and there have been a lot of barriers to work around but we have worked our hardest.

"To come to the Edinburgh Festival, it's just an amazing opportunity so we can shine together as a group and a community."

Since creating the show, Julia has been nominated for Australian of the Year and has worked as a television presenter, as well as working on other projects.

But her goal hasn't shifted. She still has the ambition of being an actress on Home and Away and moving to Sydney.

"Hopefully, they [Home and Away casting agents] will come to see the show in the Sydney Opera House and offer me a role on the show."