Adventure Island

1 9 6 7 - 1 9 7 2 (Australia)
1140 x 30 minute episodes  

The Australian TV show Adventure Island was designed for an audience of young (3 - 9 years of age) children, and grew out of an earlier children's magazine style series, The Magic Circle Club (on the 0-10 Network). 

Produced from the Melbourne studios of the ABC, Adventure Island was immensely popular and screened five afternoons a week. Each weeks pantomime-styled episodes concerned a self-contained story which took place on Adventure Island in the Kingdom of Diddley Dum Diddley. The regular characters on the island were Clown, Lisa, Fifi, Penny Panda and Sailor.

The villains of the show were Miser Meanie and Fester Fumble (played with a suitable degree of camp by Colin McEwan and Ernie Bourne respectively). The action was laced with songs, with Nancy Cato and - from 1969 - Sue Donovan (Jason's mum!) acting as narrator.

When in 1973 the ABC decided not to renew the series, intending to purchase Sesame Street from the American educational network PBS instead, there was a public outcry (extending to Federal Parliament) but the adventure was over.  Actor, writer and the show's creator John Michael Howson blames ABC bureaucracy for sinking the five-year old show. "They made up their minds and cancelled the bloody thing without taking notice of the huge reaction".

Ho ho, ho ho! - Far away we go
To a land that's far across the sea
Hey hey, hey hey! - For a little while we'll stay
And be home in time for tea
Set sail, set sail! In sunshine or in gale
The fun we'll have will be really grand
Hoorah, hoorah! Follow the guiding star
And come with us to Adventure Island

Tee dum, tee dum! Everyone can come
All of you and a big brass band
Bing bong, bing bong! Sound the sailing gong
For now we are leaving for Adventure Island

Sue Donovan                                 John Michael Howson