The actor and writer on her Perth homecoming, the family fairytale she felt compelled to rewrite, and why we need more middle-aged women on our screens

Dark clouds hover above the Indian Ocean when I meet Tasma Walton at Scarborough beach in Perth, the sea below heaving and churning in green-grey folds. Every now and then, the sun emerges and the water flashes silver.

Despite the drama offshore, Walton seems at ease. “I’m a salt water woman,” she announces matter-of-factly, as we set off along Scarborough’s promenade, weaving between dog walkers and wetsuited surfers. “I need to be on the beach. It’s very good for the soul.”