Wayne Duncan

"Wayne seems to have had a relationship with everyone but it has to stop somewhere. Nice characters tend to be one-dimensional, but because Wayne has a bit of a short fuse, it gives him a darker more interesting side"[2]

— Sammy-Lee on Wayne's personality. (1993)

Wayne is a chemistry teacher with an arrogant personality.[3] Wanting to become acquainted with relatives, he arrives in Erinsborough to live with his mother's cousin, Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy). He had been forced out of his old teaching job amid lies that he was romancing a student. This is not helped by infatuated student Annalise Hartman (Kimberley Davies) creating more lies.[4] Wayne enjoys getting into arguments because he is articulate and intelligent. But his attitude towards owning firearms alienates fellow residents, particularly upsetting Pam Willis (Sue Jones). Wayne believes in protecting personal property with a gun and even keeps one while living in Ramsay Street. His views stemmed from a small country town upbringing on a farm.[5]

What's on TV reporter Donna Hay wrote a special feature about Wayne. She detailed that he has dark and brooding looks. But he is "volatile to say the least. Underneath that cultured exterior there's a macho caveman just waiting to get out."[6] He likes to play hard to get with woman. Even when he is in a relationship it is "more off than on". He does not have promising career prospects because of his unorthodox teaching methods. In addition he has an unsavoury past with a "nasty habit of losing his temper and knocking people out".[6] Ultimately Wayne is a country lover. He enjoys long hikes in the outback. He enjoys setting up camp alongside birds and animals. Hay quipped that Wayne would only shoot them after.[6] Sammy-Lee used his own life experiences in his portrayal of a school teacher. He told an Inside Soap reporter that "I was a real terror at school, and that's why I can relate to Wayne. I used to be the kid in class who gave the teachers a hard tie so I know what he's facing."[1]

An Inside Soap reporter revealed that Wayne would arrive in Ramsay Street as new school teacher and love interest of Gaby Willis (Rachel Blakely). But their romance would be short-lived as Gaby's "blood runs cold" when he is accused of murder.[7] Despite constant fighting the pair decided to date. They tried to make their relationship work but it "ended mostly in disaster".[8] Gaby enjoys cinema trips but Wayne prefers to go camping. Gaby viewed Wayne to be arrogant and he saw her as precocious. They exchanged harsh words with each other to hide their passion for each other.[4] Author Josephine Monroe said "they were about as mis-matched as you could get.[9] She also viewed their relationship as only based on lust. They were obsessed with each other, but spent most of their time together sparring. The duo come to realise they have a destructive relationship. They force themselves to move on by avoiding each other.[10] Sammy-Lee described it as a "nightmare relationship" resulting in a "terrible time together". He believed they are both attracted to one another's "stubborn and fiery" attitudes.[1] While Blakely explained that "they really do care for each other, but Gaby decides it's just not right and she ends it." The duos fight scenes have included Gaby throwing drinks at Wayne and hitting him. Blakely recalls one scene in-which she had too slap Sammy-Lee. But she got that into character that upon delivering the slap she injured the actor.[11]

The murder accusation story developed following Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) and Stephen Gottlieb (Lochie Daddo) paying a biker gang to attack Russell Butler (Stephen Whittaker). But the gang mistake Wayne for Russell and try to kill him. Sammy-Lee told Josephine Monroe from Inside Soap that the gang leave Wayne for dead. At one point it looks as though he will die, but "in true soap style" he is found seconds before death.[12] Wayne becomes focused on gaining revenge and the gang boss Cactus (Les Toth) is found dead. Sammy-Lee explained that the residents of Ramsay Street made big commotion over Wayne's possession of a gun - therefore believe he is responsible. Even Gaby believes he is guilty. The actor added "It's a big deal for Wayne because he got suspended once before from school for an [alleged] relationship with an underage student [...] his career really is on the line."[12] The plot did not develop into a long-running storyline.[12] Wayne was cleared of all charges brought against him.[13] This annoyed Sammy-Lee who wanted it to be "sensational" with a trial and big court room scenes. He also accused Neighbours of being fearful and unwilling to fully develop potential stories.[12] Following the incident Wayne has to fight to be reinstated at Erinsborough High. He also has to deal with the attitudes of character who remained unconvinced of his innocence. But he could not forgive Gaby for doubting him.[5]

Wayne begins a relationship with Beth Brennan (Natalie Imbruglia). She had called off her wedding to Brad (Scott Michaelson) because he was unfaithful. But Brad tries to warn Wayne off Beth and they both propose to her.[14] Wayne withdraws his proposal leaving Beth to accept Brad's.[15] Imbruglia told Kelly Beswick from Inside Soap that "going out with Wayne helped her repair her self-confidence and gave her back a sense of worth." But she added that Wayne was only ever a "diversion" to suppress her feelings for Brad.[14] Hay believed that Wayne was in need of a "steady girl" like Beth in his life.[6]

Sammy-Lee decided to leave Neighbours and Wayne departed in 1994. He told Monroe that he never intended to remain in the role long and feared becoming type-cast as a soap actor.[12] Writers planned Wayne's exit to coincide with stories leading to Sarah Vandenbergh's exit as Lauren Carpenter.[16] Wayne and Lauren begin a casual relationship in New Year 1994. Wayne's "matchmaking" brother, Troy (Damian Walshe-Howling) tricks the pair into dating. When Lauren gets drunk at a dinner party, Wayne offers to walk her home and she pulls him over her doorstep and kisses him as their friends stare. Sammy-Lee revealed "Then, when she invites him in for coffee, she spills milk on her blouse and takes it off. Wayne does the gentlemanly thing by covering her up with his jacket and putting her to bed. But Lauren reads more into it."[16] The following morning, Lauren assumes she has had sex with Wayne and forgot what actually happened. The truth is eventually revealed to Lauren and the misunderstanding gave their romance "a shaky start". Fletcher commented that friendship turned to lust for both characters during the storyline.[16] The storyline completed a recurring theme of relationship storyline Sammy-Lee played out. He told Fletcher that "Wayne can't control his hormones. In just a year in Eringborough there isn't a girl he hasn't tried to date. As long as they're pretty, he'll fall for them." Sammy-Lee concluded that after Wayne's long line of women, his fellow cast mates created a running joke that he was only left his relative Helen left to seduce.[16] His final scenes showed Wayne deciding to move back to live on his farm.[17]