Steven Matheson

Steven was born in Hornsby, New South Wales and is the only son of Brett and Martha Matheson. One night, while Steven was staying over at his friend, Danny's house, he heard sirens belonging to fire engines and discovered that the family home was on fire and Brett and Martha were trapped. The Mathesons had put bars on the windows previously so escape was impossible. Brett and Martha died in the blaze and Steven, with no available extended family, was placed into a temporary care home until Tom (Roger Oakley) and Pippa Fletcher (Vanessa Downing) fostered him.

Steven first appears on screen in the pilot when he and his foster family sit down to celebrate Tom's 40th birthday. Later, when Tom announces to the family that he is being retrenched, Steven offers to live elsewhere as he feels the Fletchers will be unable to afford looking after him. The family eventually relocate from the city to country town Summer Bay. Early into the Fletchers' arrival Steven manages to win the approval of foster brother Frank Morgan (Alex Papps), who has been suspicious of him since his arrival. Steven also manages to befriend local tomboy Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson), who later joins the family. Steven asks Frank for advice, he believes no one sees him as a grown up and just as a boy, he starts shaving and trying new things to look older. Steven starts feeling an attraction for Narelle, who is three years older than he is, they later kiss, Steven sees it as a big moment as it's the first time he's kissed a girl. Steven gets his first taste of a real romance when classmate, Sandra Barlow (Catherine McColl-Jones) shows an interest him. Unfortunately, Sandra's abusive father, Sam Barlow (Jeff Truman) takes an immediate dislike to Steven and warns him off. Steven and Sandra continue seeing each other secretly until Sam's behavior culminates in him accidentally shooting his wife and Sandra's mother, Kerry dead. Sandra later leaves the area to stay with a foster family in the city. Steven later has several run-ins with P.E. teacher Jeff Samuels (Alex Petersons) whose training regimes do not sit well with Steven, the Fletchers or many other people in Summer Bay. Steven is overjoyed when his uncle Philip Matheson (John Morris), his only living relative arrives in Summer Bay. Philip is later killed in an arson attack on the general store at the hands of Brian "Dodge" Forbes (Kelly Dingwall), who has a grudge against the owner Celia Stewart (Fiona Spence). Steven is devastated and begins having nightmares and flashbacks to his parents' deaths in the fire.

Dodge becomes Tom and Pippa's latest foster child, he strikes up a friendship with Steven and winds him up on multiple occasions about not being macho. Dodge enjoys using Steven to do his essays and he later fools Steven into turning on his former geeky friends over a money dispute. Dodge had in fact, being bullying one of them, when they all attack him, Steven decides to attempt to attack the lads. They are shocked and tell him he's a better person than that. Dodge has a grudge against Roo Stewart's (Justine Clarke) boyfriend Simon Yates (Christopher Saunders), who he tries to pin the blame on over the arson attack. He manipulates Steven into attacking him on the beach and vowing revenge. Dodge steals a car and crashes it, Steven takes the blame to protect him, but Dodge reveals it was him and vows to change. Just as everyone trusts him again, he drunkenly confesses to setting the fire that killed Phillip. Enraged, Steven tries to attack him before Dodge is charged with murder. Steven later leaves to go to university.

Four year later, Steven returns and gets a job at Summer Bay High as a teacher, much to Donald Fisher's (Norman Coburn) surprise. Everyone is delighted to have him back and he settles back into life with family around. When Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons) returns they become better friends and eventually start a relationship, it proves short lived however and they decide it's best to be friends again. Later his student, Selina falls in love with Steven, he tells her they cannot be together because of his job and age difference. However Steven later gives in to his feelings and starts an affair with her, but they later decide to end things. Selina's stalker Jeremy Riggs (David Stanley) finds out about her and Steven so tries to black mail them, but he tries to hang himself in the school toilets and Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) finds out the truth, she files a complaint which sees Steven sacked from his job and everyone in town is shocked to learn about their affair.

Dodge is released from prison and returns to Summer Bay, wanting revenge on Steven. Dodge hides jelly beans in Steven's house and black mails him by stating he will go to the police and tell them he has illegal drugs in his property. Scared Steven becomes extremely affected by his presence, but is happy to find out they're not drugs. Steven and Kelly Watson (Katrina Hobbs) have an affair behind Travis Nash's (Nic Testoni) back, although Kelly later decides it isn't a good idea and ends things. Kelly helps him set Dodge up for theft. Whilst out on a cruise, Dodge jumps overboard and is presumed dead. The police start a murder investigation with Steven as their prime suspect. Dodge later turns up alive and kidnaps Kelly, when Steven tracks them down they start fighting on the edge of a cliff. In the end they both roll over the edge of the cliff, Steven survives but Dodge remained unfound. After alienating himself from most of the Bay's residents and annoying Pippa when he shows no interest in his foster sister Sally Fletcher's (Kate Ritchie) abduction, he decides to rethink his place in the town. Sally is found and goes to hospital and waits for Steven. Steven leaves Pippa a note and flees the town, without saying goodbye to his closest family member Sally.

One year later he returns feeling in a better place. He starts to fall for Selina again, delighted they resume their relationship. This time more people approve and they decide to get married. On their wedding day however, Selina seemingly jilts Steven. She is actually being held hostage by cult leader Saul Bennett (David Ritchie), later she escapes and Steven is relieved to have her back. She shocks him by telling him she no longer wants to marry him after her ordeal. He leaves the bay once more. After another year passes Marilyn and Irene decide to head overseas to, Ironbridge when Selina is severely ill, they arrange for Steven to come and look after her. When he arrives he proposes to Selina, who gladly accepts. They leave the bay together this time. Steven returns two years later for Sally's wedding to Kieran Fletcher (Spencer McLaren), he reveals that he and Selina still haven't got married. After Kieran's infidelity is discovered, Steven beats him up on the beach. Steven returns again for Summer Bay's 150th anniversary celebrations and visits again the following year when his other foster sister Sophie Simpson (Rebekah Elmaloglou) agrees to be a surrogate for Sally. During this time, Steven reveals that he and Selina have broken up and he has married someone named Lyn. He returns for the last time when Sally decides to leave Summer Bay, after Ric Dalby (Mark Furze) gets in touch with him. Steven reveals he and Selina have got back together. Pippa and Carly also join him. He tells Sally how much she deserves her big send off and they reminisce about the old days when they first moved into the house on the caravan park twenty years earlier. After Sally leaves, Steven returns home.