Australia is a commonwealth nation, formerly a British penal colony in its earliest years, which also occupies an entire continent, the smallest of the world's seven. Native animals include such uniquely indigenous creatures as the kangaroo and the koala.

Productions and Broadcasters

• The Australian counterpart to the cable station Nick Jr. has broadcast various Muppet series, including Open Sesame (a compilation of US Sesame Street segments) and Play Along With Ollie, featuring a new specifically Australian Muppet, Ollie.

• Big Bag featured a recurring segment, "Samuel and Nina," produced by Australian animator Yoram Gross (and redubbed in New York City).

• Farscape was filmed in Australia, and with the exceptions of Ben Browder and Kent McCord, the cast was composed of Australian and New Zealand-based actors.

• Bambaloo is filmed and aired in Australia. The show first aired on the Seven Network, and has also aired on ABC.

Appearances

• Big Bird appeared at the 1980 TV Week Logie Awards hosted by Bert Newton. Broadcast on March 14, other American celebrities joining Big Bird included Michael York (Cabaret), Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky & Hutch), and Lee Meriwether (Batman).

• Big Bird returned to Australia in 1984 for the Moomba Festival where he conducted the Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert that was turned into the television special Big Bird in Australia. During the same trip, he also made a visit to the Lady Huntington Child Care Centre in North Melbourne, and made an appearance on The Mike Walsh Show.

• Uncle Traveling Matt appeared on location in Australia in various episodes of Fraggle Rock. In "I Don't Care", Matt learns of a stick you throw away (the boomerang). In "New Trash Heap in Town", he observes a herd of kangaroos, coming to the conclusion that they serve as transportation systems. During the filming of these segments, Dave Goelz discovered local puppeteer Ron Mueck (born in Melbourne), who served as assistant puppeteer and later joined the Workshop in London.^[1]

• The Muppets and the Sesame Street Muppets have made several appearances on Rove Live and The Project during various visits to Australia.

References

• In episode 210 of The Muppet Show, Gonzo recalls the time he worked with a kangaroo who could tell time, but was always wrong because his watch was on Australian time. The kangaroo had never actually been to Australia, however, having come from Sydney.

• A group of Australian Muppets sing "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" in episode 313 of The Muppet Show. Guest star Helen Reddy hails from Australia and as such, a scene originally conceived for the episode had Fozzie Bear preparing an Austrian band to play for her (mixing up the two locales).^[2] A similar mix-up was used in a deleted scene from Muppets Most Wanted, where Austrian Christoph Waltz is originally scheduled to perform "Waltzing Matilda" with some Australian animals.

• Another set of Australian Muppets appear in episode 317 of The Muppet Show, taking up residence on the Muppet Theatre's ceiling.

• Three-In-A-Row Smith is a Muppet character hailing from Australia in Sesame Street Episode 2327, speaking both with a thick accent and greeting others with a "G'day, mate!"

• Australia has been the focal point of a few Sesame Street animated segments, including a morphing map of the country, a Gloria Globe segment and a Zork cartoon.

• A Sesame Street season 23 sketch features Telly Monster hosting "The Wide Wide World of the World." In the sketch, he focuses on Australia with his two guests - Mel Gibson and a duck claiming to be a duck-billed platypus.

• Episode 3253 of Sesame Street focuses on Count von Count receiving a visit from one of his oldest friends, Mathilda, who lives in Australia. Her name is a reference to the Australian song "Waltzing Matilda."

• On Bear in the Big Blue House, Ojo's Uncle Koala sends her postcards from Australia.

• Global Grover visited the continent on two occasions in season 35 of Sesame Street, where he learns about dugout houses and animal rescue facilities.

• Ernie and Bert visit the outback in the Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures episode "Platypus."

Gallery

Abby Cadabby and Elmo at the Palazzo Versace Hotel

Elmo and Cookie Monster in Melbourne, Australia

Elmo and Cookie Monster in Sydney, Australia

The Muppet Babies on Sydney Harbour Bridge in "Puppy for a Day"

Sources