Kirsty Sutherland (also Phillips) is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Christie Hayes between 2000 and 2005 and again from 2008 to 2009.

Kirsty first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2000 and has been involved in one of the serial's most controversial storylines in which she knowingly started a relationship with a man who sexually assaulted her sister.

Actress Hayes began playing the role at age thirteen and has quit the serial on two occasions, she made her original departure on 23 February 2005.

[4] On the subject of Kirsty's personality changes during her time away from Summer Bay, Hayes stated: "As a mum, she has become protective of her kids around her, but is still trying to figure herself out.

"[2] Speaking of Kirsty overall development after Hayes finished filming, she stated: "I like how the character's been resolved and the way she's grown up - she was a little girl when she first arrived and now she's not only divorced but even had a storyline where she needed money and started working as an escort!

[5] Producer's decided to capitalise on the pairing's popularity by making a tie in Book, CD and a DVD titled Home and Away: Hearts Divided.

One of her final storylines is her miscarriage and subsequent breakdown of her relationship with Miles Copeland (Josh Quong Tart) which leads her to run away from Summer Bay without telling him.

"[7] Paula Forrest also returned as her on-screen mother Shelley Sutherland for her departure, Hayes was delighted by this and stated: "That was fantastic!

"[8] Hayes also praised her exit storyline citing it as realistic to just leave without being killed off or being part of a dramatic illness plot.

She later falls in love with Dylan Russell (Brett Hicks-Maitland), they begin a relationship but his mother Angie (Laurie Foell) claims he is fathered by Rhys Sutherland (Michael Beckley) meaning they are siblings.

Kirsty and other members of her family later get trapped down a mine shaft, she and Jade Sutherland (Kate Garven) use their twin psychic powers to contact each other and get out alive.