Beth is a 15-year-old Aboriginal girl who recently died in a fatal car crash. Rather than moving on to the afterlife, she remains in the living world as a ghost because she feels a strong responsibility to help her father cope with his intense grief. She wears the yellow dress she died in and relies on her cultural understanding of family connections to stay anchored to her current existence.

Isobel is an Aboriginal teenager found wandering near a river after a devastating flood. She is currently a patient at the local hospital and serves as the only witness to the events surrounding the children's home fire. Instead of giving a straightforward police statement, she recounts her experiences in poetic verse, describing a surreal world of gray landscapes and strange creatures to Michael and Beth.

Michael is a senior police detective sent to oversee an investigation into a fire at a remote children's home. He is a white man who was married to an Aboriginal woman, which led to a permanent estrangement from his prejudiced parents. Consumed by grief over the recent death of his daughter, he has withdrawn from his extended family and struggles to maintain his focus on his police work.

Sarah is an Aboriginal girl who went missing twenty years ago, just a week before her fifteenth birthday. Her disappearance was poorly investigated by the local police chief at the time, who quickly dismissed her as a runaway. Her unresolved case remains a source of pain and frustration for the people who knew her.

Viv is the sister of Beth's deceased mother. She is a warm, generous woman who loves bright colors and festively painted nails. She was driving the car during the tragic accident that killed Beth, leaving her to wrestle with survivor's guilt while trying to care for her own children.

Derek is the current chief of police in the small town. He is the son of the former chief and exhibits a highly nervous, defensive demeanor. He frequently bites his nails down to the quick and attempts to obstruct Michael's external investigation into the children's home fire.

Alexander is a wealthy local businessman whose family has lived in the area for generations. He runs a charity foundation that established the children's home where the fire took place. He is known for restricting community access to the home, citing government regulations to keep local volunteers away.

Allie is a local police officer who acts as a guide for Michael during his investigation in the town. She is a dedicated officer who harbors deep frustration over the police department's historical apathy, specifically regarding the twenty-year-old disappearance of her childhood friend.

Tom is the director of the children's home. Following the mysterious fire at the facility, he is reported missing, prompting Michael to investigate his financial records and whereabouts.

Martin is the resident nurse at the children's home. Like the director, he is unaccounted for after the fire, leading the police to suspect he may have perished in the blaze.

Isobel's mother is an Aboriginal woman who recently died in a sudden flash flood while trying to save her daughter from their sinking car. She was deeply committed to teaching Isobel the history of their female ancestors so that Isobel would grow up strong.

Gerry is the former chief of police and Derek's father. He is remembered for conducting a sloppy, dismissive investigation into Sarah Blue's disappearance twenty years ago, closing the case by casually labeling her a runaway.

Charles is Alexander Sholt's elderly father. He lives in the family's local estate and covers for his son's absence when the police arrive to ask questions about the children's home.

June is one of Beth's maternal aunts. She is deeply connected to her Aboriginal heritage and shares traditional beliefs about the spirit world with her nieces, teaching them that their deceased mother is waiting for them on the other side.

Jim is Beth's grandfather. Following Beth's death, his upcoming birthday party becomes a point of contention, as the family wants to gather to celebrate and mourn together, but Michael refuses to attend.

Rachel is Michael Teller's boss at the police department. She coordinates the forensic and financial investigations from headquarters, feeding Michael crucial background information regarding the victims' bank accounts.