Erica is only slightly injured after the gunfight. Janet and the terrorists are taken by the police. Roslyn gets away, but she is arrested when she tries to enter a ship for further escape. Meg is dating Geoff Butler, an old friend of Jim from the military time. He gets violent when she rejects him, but Jim shows up and overpowers Geoff who is arrested by police. New social worker, Paul Reid, arrives to the prison. Chrissie and Roslyn are constant sources to trouble, both for fellow prisoners and staff. David O'Connell, who has been arrested by police, commits suicide.
Lizzie is released, when it is discovered that she has been imprisoned for something she didn't do in 20 years. She goes to live at the Halfway House, which is now run by Rhonda West. Lizzie is there united with Doreen, who now has both a work and a boyfriend, Kevin Burns. Caroline Simpson is taken to Wentworth after having killed her father, Brian Williams, to protect her mother, Vivienne Williams. Paul has problems with his son, Tony Reid, who wants to quit school and is in drug circles. Their pusher, Sharon Gilmour, is arrested by police at a razzia. She immediately comes into conflict with Bea, who hates pushers because her daughter died from an overdose. Tough prisoner Margo Gaffney starts to come into the story. Roslyn, who has decided to follow the narrow road, is transferred to another block to continue her studies. Chrissie gives birth to a daughter.
The constantly unpredictable Jim engages deeply into Caroline's case, something which angers her ex-husband, Michael Simpson. Kevin proposes to Doreen and she accepts. Sharon and Chrissie challenge Bea's top dog position. Sharon's girlfriend, Judy Bryant, smuggles in drugs to Sharon. Judy, who is jealous on Chrissie, lets herself be arrested to be together with Sharon again. Sharon rejects Judy and lags on her for the drug smuggling. Doreen is returned to Wentworth after she and Lizzie tried to steal liquor from a shop. Sharon manages to make herself enemy with most of the women. Jim arranges bail for both Caroline and her mother. Caroline stays at the Halfway House. Lizzie commits several crimes in an attempt to be taken back to Wentworth and she finally succeeds. Ex-prisoner Ken Pearce arranges a theatre group among the women at Wentworth.
Meg and Jim witness against Geoff Butler, who is given a suspended sentence. Geoff allies with Michael Simpson, because both want revenge at Jim. Geoff suggests that they plant a parcel with drugs at Jim, but in reality Geoff places a bomb in the parcel. By mistake Leila gets the parcel. She and the two sons are killed by the bomb. Geoff thereafter tries to kill both Michael and Jim. Michael gets away, but is revealed by Caroline and is arrested. Geoff is shot to death by the police guarding Jim. Prisoner Heather "Mouse" Trapp begins to come into the story. Judy have heart failure and must operate in a pacemaker. Pat is pardoned and released. Captain Barton from the Salvation Army engages into helping some of the women, including Lizzie. Bea and Ken have a relation. Artist Kerry Vincent is imprisoned at Wentworth. Her agent, David Austin, ruthlessly uses her prison stay to rise the price on her paintings.
Evil prison officer Jock Stewart starts working at Wentworth. Caroline and Vivienne are given suspended sentences. Caroline and Jim are separated as friends. Vera is in trouble after having received a painting from Kerry. Doreen and Kevin are married in prison. Jock tries to persuade Doreen into selling the house she inherited from her mother. Sharon overhears and tries to blackmail Jock. Shortly afterwards she is found dead with her neck broken. Helen Smart makes one of many short stays at Wentworth. Kerry is released, gets angry with David and tries to kill him. He survives and she gets continued suspension. Leanne Bourke, Noeline's daughter, is imprisoned at Wentworth. According to the official investigation about Sharon's death, it was an accident, but Jock is suspended. Bea leads the women in a protest action. During a demonstration at the prison roof, Leanne loses balance and falls to her death. Shortly afterwards a devastated Noeline is arrested again and placed at Wentworth.
Ellen Huntley and Josie pretend to be Lizzie's daughter and granddaughter, but they prove to be frauds. However, Lizzie gets so attached to them that she accepts them as her family. Some of the women are given work release at a clothes factory. The manager, Andrew Reynolds, dates Erica. The forman, Vince Talbot, forces Doreen to have sex with him, in return Doreen gets information which can help Kevin to an order. The book-keeper, Kay White, takes part in the illegal gambling arranged by Margo. Meg moves to a new apartment. One of her neighbours, Gail Summers, bashes her children. She is arrested and placed at Wentworth, after Meg contacted the police. Gail gets, because of her crime, a hard time among the other women. Judy fakes heart failure and escapes after being taken to hospital. She temporarily stays with her friend Pauline Curtis. Pauline doesn't want Judy to be in more trouble, so she gives her in to the police and Judy is returned to prison. Noeline is caught stealing from the factory and she is transferred to another prison. Paul moves to Adelaide to start a new life with his son. Gail is released.
Vera reveals that the clothes factory uses the women as black labour. Erica therefore stops the project. Since the factory is at risk, Kay finds it best to put her hands on the remaining money. However, she is revealed, arrested and taken to Wentworth. She gets a hard time since the women accuses her of spoiling the work release. New prison social worker, Agnes Forster, arrives. For the first time, the prison cook, Mrs O'Reagan, comes into the story. Doreen discovers she is pregnant with Vince. Kay helps the women to lure Vince to the prison, so they can give him a good bashing. Kevin wants divorce and Doreen tries to commit suicide. Kay lags on the women, who retaliate by putting her up to lose at her trial. Agnes, who proves to be incompetent, is forced to resign.
Tracey Morris is on remand at Wentworth, accused of drug smuggling. Detective Grace suspects that her father, businessman Bob Morris, is involved and pressures Vera to spy on them. Vera backs off after being bashed by unknowns. Kathleen Leach, who has been released for a while, is placed at Wentworth by the drug gang to keep an eye on Tracey. Doreen suffers a miscarriage. Prisoners Hazel Kent and Linda Jones begin to come into the story. Linda is worried about her son, Danny Jones, who is not treated well by his aunt Sheila Hawkins. Danny runs away from home, but Jim, who once again shows his human side, traces him and offers him a home pending Linda's release. Kay, who is at constant war with the other women, is tricked and ruined, after among others Lizzie forged gambling results. She tries to strangle Lizzie, but Linda kills Kay with a beat at her head. Lizzie takes the blame to make Linda's release possible.
After some hesitation, Bob bails Tracey out, but an attempt on her life is made immediately, and she is imprisoned again for her own security. Kathleen is ordered to kill Tracey, but doesn't have the guts to do it. Bob visits Tracey in the prison garden under Meg's supervision. A sniper tries to kill Tracey, but instead Meg is hit. Meg is taken to hospital with a slight wound. Bob starts dating Meg. Doreen is released and gets work at a children's hospital. On the way to her trial, a fourth attempt is made on Tracey's life, but once again she survives. Chrissie wants continued custody of her little daughter and sees Myra Desmond from the Prison Reform Group. Jim tries to find a life outside prison and starts dating Sarah Forrest, but she rejects him when she finds out he is a prison officer. Erica recognizes Sarah as a from Barnhurst escaped prisoner with the real name Jacki Nolan. Jim talks to Jacki, who gives herself up to the police and is placed at Wentworth.
Chrissie's daughter is taken to the hospital where Doreen works. Vera announces that Doreen is an ex-prisoner. Doreen in return announces that Vera is hated by everyone. Vera gets drunk and comes unsober to work. The women use this to get their hands on the prison keys. Erica demands that Vera hands in her resignation. A confused Doreen kidnaps Chrissie's daughter from the hospital, but is arrested and once again taken to Wentworth. Bob proposes to Meg and she accepts. Tracey is moved to Barnhurst. Erica gives Vera one more chance to deal with her alcohol problems. Jacki is pardoned and released.
The women discover an old tunnel system under the prison. Inspector Stuart Gillespie from the Department comes to Wentworth to investigate how the prison is run. A new prisoner, Anne Griffin, arrives. The women are stricken with a number of assaults and thefts. They realize that Anne is behind, but also that she is completely insane. The women rehearse a pantomime, which some of them will use as a cover to escape through the tunnel system. Meg and Bob are married. The pantomime is held. Doreen, Judy, Mouse and Irene Nagle go down into the tunnel. Lizzie follows with Doreen's teddy. Bea goes down to get Lizzie back. The tunnel collapses and Irene is killed. Judy and Mouse are on the "freedom side". Bea, Lizzie and Doreen are trapped on the "prison side".