Steph's storylines have included marrying Max Hoyland (Stephen Lovatt), becoming a stepmother to his children Boyd (Kyal Marsh) and Summer (Marisa Siketa), battling breast cancer, pregnancy, being the victim of a stabbing and infidelity.

Upon her return, Steph revealed that she had suffered a breakdown in prison and became determined to win back her former boyfriend, Lucas Fitzgerald (Scott Major).

[1] Stephanie was introduced along with her parents Lyn (Janet Andrewartha) and Joe (Shane Connor) and her younger sisters Felicity (Holly Valance) and Michelle (Kate Keltie).

[1] In September 1999, Jason Herbison of Inside Soap reported that Emma Roche had joined the cast of Neighbours as Stephanie.

[4][5] Bonner had little acting experience, having appeared in television bit parts, but she went over to Russ' office and was given a script for a cold read.

[10] Steph's later relationships with Max Hoyland (Stephen Lovatt) and Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) were main focal points in her storylining.

[14] The storyline was exhausting for Bonner, but it gave her a chance to show a different side to her character and it became a "rewarding personal challenge".

[18] On her departure, Neighbours executive producer, Susan Bower, said "I'm very sad that Carla is leaving us and she knows the door is always open for Steph to return to Ramsay Street".

[24] Bonner revealed that due to having a rough time in prison and losing custody of her son Charlie (Alexander McGuire), Steph is "a bit damaged".

"[23] Sergeant Matt Turner (Josef Brown) becomes curious about the reasons for Steph's return and he questions her about failing a previous parole application.

Steph finds herself attracted to Victoria Lamb (Claudia Greenstone) and an Inside Soap columnist noted their chemistry was "sizzling".

[33] In March 2018, Bonner replied to a fan's query about Steph's lack of storylines by saying they were being "weaned" off her character, leading to speculation that she was leaving the show.

Steph immediately attracts the attentions of Toadfish Rebecchi and Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby), but she falls for Drew Kirk (Dan Paris).

Steph decides that she wants to spend more time with her son and she sells Charlie's to Elle Robinson (Pippa Black), who installs Rebecca Napier (Jane Hall) as manager.

When a Fitzgerald Motors jerry can is found at the scene, Steph becomes a suspect and is questioned by Mark Brennan, but a mobile phone call gives her an alibi.

Steph, Mark, Toadie and Sonya meet with Victoria Lamb (Claudia Greenstone), a consultant, to discuss their feelings about the surrogacy.

They later make up and agree to try one round of IVF, but Victoria informs them that they were not able to collect any viable eggs, ending their chance of conceiving a child together.

Steph's motorbike is damaged and she initially suspects Victoria's daughter Josie Lamb (Madison Daniel), who warns her to stay away from her mother.

While looking after his son Gabriel Smith (Kian Bafekrpour), Steph has a flashback to the time she kidnapped Patrick and she thinks she hears Gabe call her "mama".

Steph decides to buy Paul and Leo Tanaka's (Tim Kano) share of the motel to open a cancer wellness centre with Amy.

[38] He told a writer for Channel 5's Neighbours website that being part of Steph's exit storyline did not influence his approach to directing the webisodes.

[44] Johnston also added "By witnessing her develop from the tomboy with a passion for motorbikes to a loving mother she has been a regular in people's living rooms for over a decade".

[45] Another reporter for the Herald Sun placed Steph's discovery of her fiancé and sister's affair at number four on their list of Neighbours Top Ten moments.

[46] Robin Oliver writing for The Sydney Morning Herald said he was compelled to watch Steph and Max's wedding, because it was twenty minutes of "good fun".

[48] Virgin Media said "After several ups and downs and a battle with illness, Neighbours' glam mummy Steph (played by Carla Bonner), gave birth to baby Charlie in 2006".

Since then, she's had a tedious love life, been miraculously cured of cancer (which in true Neighbours-style could definitely return if she had a baby and could then definitely return again if she had an abortion), been ruined by marriage to the insufferable Max Hoyland (who we still haven't forgiven for murdering CamRob), had an unbelievable romance with best mate Toadie and an even more unbelievable friendship with Libby (when clearly the characters hate each other, and it's more of a 'frenemy' thing)".

In April 2013, a Newcastle Herald reporter commented "As independent Steph Scully, Bonner was a fan favourite, leaving a gaping hole when she was bundled off to jail.

"[53] Melinda Houston, writing for The Sydney Morning Herald, called Steph "one of the suburbs' more interesting villains" due to her history as a "drunkard, murderer, kidnapper and psychotic".

Journalist Adam Beresford described her as "a big fan favourite", "the coolest biker chick to ever rev up Ramsay Street" and assessed that she had a "torrid time" during her storylines.

[56] Owing to her mental health issues and fluid sexuality, Beresford believed that Steph was one of "the most intriguingly complex characters the show has ever had".