Vi Patchett played by Bunney Brooke

Episodes 98 - 220

Vi Patchett? Auntie Vi to you. Vi arrived in Westside in an overcoat and trilby hat, no make - up, the only thing important in Vi`s life is family and honesty. She believes without that you`ve got nothing. As head of the Patchett clan, Vi makes herself known to the residents of E Street. She keeps nephew Ernie in line and makes sure Abby doesn`t break up the family she so much adores. Vi also befriends the younger generation of E Street - taking Alice and Harley under her wing. A proper `aussie`, Vi has strong beliefs and high morals and nothing or no-one will stand in her way. When Vi spends her first day in Westside it`s like she has been there all her life. She immediately gets herself aquatinted with Chris and Megan and starts war with Abby - whom Vi renames 'Yabby' in reference to the Australian water fish! She's a wise old duck, although she wouldn't appreciate the 'old', and her stories pull in the punters! Vi and Abby don't really hate each other, they`re just jealous of each other. Abby yearns for Vi's status as head of the Patchetts and Vi is scared that Abby will steal that status. So they go into fierce competition, the residents of E Street are often dragged into their fights and it usually falls down to poor Ernie to announce the winner.

Their first battle is a contest to see who can cook the best fish batter. Will Abbys Las Vegas surprise win over Vi's traditional 'aussie' dish? The task falls on Bob and Harley. Witnessed by a full pub Bob and Harley test the fish and try and determine who`s is best. However they get the plates mixed up and no-one knows who`s dish is which. Not even Vi or Abby can tell the difference - so a draw is proclaimed! Next up is a game of cards. Vi thinks this is where she`ll take the lead, she has grown up around pubs and fellas! But she forgets that Abby has been singing in casinos for a while and she has picked up quite a few tricks! Another draw! Vi`s bird Jerome is the next victim! Ernie is suffering from a hernia, so he requires day visits from Nurse Martha. Vi, witnesses these visits and tells Abby that Ernie and Martha are having an affair. When Abby finds out that Vi has set her up she takes Jerome from Vi's room and puts him in her room. Whilst Vi is upstairs she hears Jerome squawking and catches on to Abbys trick. She takes Jerome from Abbys room and leaves the window open. When Abby returns she thinks Jerome has escaped. The shenanigans continue until they agree that they are even.

There are times when Vi and Abby team up together. When Ernie comes home from his hernia operation he plays the girls off against each other, benefiting from their need to please him by outdoing the other one. They catch him out and become quite a good double act. When Vi is out one night she is mugged, she isn`t hurt, but some sentimental gifts are taken from her bag and she is shaken by the fact that she is getting old. Abby helps her out, genuinely, and there appears to be some good feeling between the warring women.

On Anzac day, Vi remains true to her country and leads her friends on a march. She gets emotional at the pub when the youngsters don`t realise how important Anzac day is. She reveals that her first love, Wilf was killed in the war just a day before his 21st birthday. With this memory in her mind she leads the residents of E Street on a protest to save the local duck pond. She gets everyone fired up and injects some much-needed spirit into the community. They all end up getting arrested but Vi doesn`t regret a minute of it and even starts a sing song in the cells!

When Abby and Ernie decide to get married Vi is outraged. There is no way she wants Abby in her family and tries every method thinkable to come between the pair. Nothing works and she leaves her plans until Ernies stag night. Refusing to go to the hen night Vi takes care of the boys. Filling them up with ale. At the end of the night she puts Ernie on a bus to nowhere and he wakes up a million miles away from Westside. He makes it back in time to get married and it's here Vi realises that Ernie really does love Abby. In her wedding speech she says she`s sorry for her interference and says that she is happy for them. This is a turning point but it doesn't stop their bickering! With the birth of Chris and Megan’s baby approaching, Vi and Abby compete with each other buying as many gifts as possible for the baby - the bigger the better. At the Kookers final, in which Vi is lead supporter Megan goes into labour and Vi delivers the baby. It`s a proud moment for her and her calm ways are a true testament to her time in the country. Megan has a baby girl and she and Chris name it Rachel Violet Patchett. Vi is pleased and reckons 'that's one hell of a name'.

As Sonny Bennett terrorises Westside, Vi passes around the positivity. She is a tower of strength for all involved and she and Abby patch up their differences when yea Abb' is made an official resident of Australia. At Rachels christening Chris, Megan and Abby leave for a little while to check out a property they want to invest in. While Vi and Ernie look after Rachel, George returns with bad news. There has been a bomb, Chris, Megan and Abby have been killed. Rachel is an orphan and Ernie has lost his wife and his son. He locks himself in his room with Rachel, and Vi loses all her family. Alice and co rally around for her but Vi is the true trooper. She keeps the pub going and hides her grief to show support towards others. But inside her heart is breaking, all she wants is for Ernie to let her in and help with Rachel. After an ear bashing from Alice, he does so and together, Vi and Ernie make plans for Rachel’s future. At this point Megans parents arrive demanding custody of Rachel. As much as Ernie and Vi fight, Megans parents have money and a beautiful home and Rachel is taken away to live with them in England. Ernie is devastated and he disappears leaving a note with George. When Vi reads out the note in front of her friends she reads that Ernie has gone to England to be with Rachel. Vi is once again alone. The friends around her get her through but she is hurt.

When Vi's old friend Johnny Little turns up she is thrilled. They get close and have a nice romance. Vi continues to be a pillar for Westsides youth; Alice, Harley, Max and C.J and she is the leader of the campaign to free Bob when he is put in jail for murder. But then Johnny drops a bombshell; he is going away sailing and wants Vi to go with him - as his wife! As much as she will miss her friends, Vi decides it`s time to look after herself and she accepts Johnnys proposal. She leaves the pub in good hands with Ernies cousin Mary and sets assail with Johhny. E Street missed the get up and go of Vi, her never give up attitude and the way she cared about everyone. A true E Street star, Patchetts Pacific was a duller place without the familiar call of `coo - ee`!.