Skippy The Bush Kangaroo - Plot and Setting

Plot and Setting

The show's star was Skippy, a wild female Eastern Grey Kangaroo befriended by Sonny Hammond, younger son of the Head Ranger of Waratah National Park. The stories revolved around events in the park, including its animals, the dangers arising from natural hazards, and the actions of visitors. The boy's mother is said (in Episode 48 "The Mine") to have died shortly after Sonny was born.

The series was shot in northern Sydney at the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the adjacent Waratah Park (now known as Waratah Park Earth Sanctuary).

Permission to film and build structures in the park was given by the then NSW Premier, Tom Lewis AO, before the Skippy series began filming in 1967, to showcase the new NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service government department he had just established.

The sanctuary has much of the original film set including the 'Ranger Headquarters' and descendants of the kangaroos used in the series. The series appeared in over 80 countries and its theme tune, composed by Eric Jupp, is one of the best-known and recognisable Australian tunes. The lyrics of the extended version (the B side on the record) were written by Ted Roberts.

The clicking sounds made by Skippy are vocal sound effects, rather than the natural vocalisations of a kangaroo, with chocolate, chewing gum or grass (and in some cases, an elastic band around the lower jaw,) used to make Skippy move her mouth. Between nine and fifteen kangaroos were used for each show. The apparent manual dexterity was often achieved by using separate arms in the hands of human operators.

In 1969 a movie-length Skippy and The Intruders was released.