Sally and her family move to Summer Bay and she takes an instant dislike to Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson). However, they become close friends when Tom and Pippa foster Bobby. Sally runs away in 1989 when she is teased by new foster child Dodge, and this makes Tom and Pippa realize just how much she means to them and they decide to adopt her. When Tom dies and Pippa begins a relationship with Michael Ross (Dennis Coard), Sally is resistant and frequently rude to Michael. Sally later warms to Michael after he and Pippa marry. She is overjoyed when Pippa has another baby, Dale (Olivia Alfonzetti), but is devastated when he dies of SIDS. Further tragedy occurs when Bobby is killed in a boating accident. As Sally grows, she is attracted to many boys; the first of whom is Damian Roberts (Matt Doran), her foster brother. Sally kisses Damian while he is asleep only to be witnessed by Pippa. Pippa and Michael begin having financial problems caused by Michael's son Haydn's (Andrew Hill) gambling debts. New student Joe Lynch (Justin Rosniak) bullies Sally for a while, but eventually owns up when he is confronted by Donald Fisher. Sally dates Gus Bishop (Samuel Johnson), but is scared off by his criminal antics. Sally then begins seeing Nelson McFarlane (Laurence Breuls), but Nelson is badly burned in a bushfire caused by Jack Wilson (Daniel Amalm). He pushes Sally away, upsetting her. She then falls for Jack, but they break up after Jack's jealousy over Brendan Coyne (Billy Mitchell).