Neighbours finale 'stems talent pipeline'

In one of the most recent of the 230 episodes she has penned, she killed off popular character Hendrix Greyson with a failed lung transplant.

"That was a great episode to write because it was from beginning to end just all emotion. I bawled my eyes out for two weeks writing it," Mayberry, who has been scripting for Neighbours since 1998, told AAP.

There were more tears for cast and crew as they wrapped the finale at the show's Melbourne studios in June, following UK broadcaster Channel 5's decision to focus on local content.

Episodes 8901, 8902 and 8903 will air on Thursday in a 90-minute special, bringing the adventures of Ramsay Street's residents to an end after 37 years on air.

"It's such a strange, quirky, funny, good-hearted show, there won't be anything like it ever again. It's a huge part of Australian culture," Mayberry said.

Ramsay St famously launched the careers of stars including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie and Liam Hemsworth, but the biggest loss may be behind the scenes.

That is because Australia's favourite cul-de-sac has also been its TV training ground, where crew could start on the lowest rung of the production ladder, and end up as director of photography.

"The industry does not yet fully comprehend what they have lost in terms of industry training," Mayberry said.

"It's going to be a while before it sinks in that those opportunities are no longer there."

With old favourites such as Blue Heelers, All Saints and A Country Practice long gone, the demise of Neighbours leaves Home and Away as the last high-volume scripted drama on Australian free-to-air TV.

Thousands of people have worked on Neighbours since it began in 1985.

With about 260 episodes aired every year, there were 60 in production at any one time - from initial plot development, such as Hendrix Greyson's untimely fate, to filming and post-production.

The sheer volume meant the show had to be a well-oiled machine, according to executive producer Jason Herbison, with a strong culture of welcoming people making their start in TV.

"If you come to Neighbours, no matter what job you're doing you're likely to have a chance to actually do your craft," he told AAP.

"That's why it's such a unique opportunity in the industry."

For decades, Melbourne's Swinburne University film course taught many of those who got jobs behind the scenes, and the uni's Susan Kerrigan told AAP the end of the show is heartbreaking.

"These kinds of soap operas, you learn how the craft works, you learn to behave creatively inside the constraints of production," she said.

"Nothing can compare with what Neighbours was doing and what it was offering in the marketplace in terms of not just acting talent but production as well."

While the streaming giants may take up some of the slack, it is unlikely they will hire untested graduates, Kerrigan noted.

As the last episode airs, longtime Neighbours talent has already moved on. Herbison is filming a mystery thriller miniseries called Riptide. Mayberry is working on a romantic comedy in the US and a thriller for the UK market.

It is also worth mentioning her successful side hustle - Mayberry is the author of more than 45 romance novels, with titles including Irresistible Cowboy and She's got it Bad.

But she openly admits the end of Neighbours has forced her out of Ramsay Street's comfort zone.

"We'll see what happens next, I could be working at Bunnings next year," she laughed.

Australian Associated Press