Blinky Bill: The Mischievous Koala

**Blinky Bill The Mischievous Koala** is an Australian animated movie animated by the Sydney-based Yoram Gross Film Studio in 1992. It was distributed by **ABC Films**, Roadshow Entertainment & Umbrella Entertainment and released in Australia September 17, 1992.

The film tells the story of Blinky Bill’s childhood with his animal friends in the Australian bush. The peace of their existence is shattered by the destruction of their homes by humans. Blinky rallies his friends as they battle to protect their homes from destruction and as he rescues his mother from captivity. The animation is superimposed over live action footage of the Australian bush. The film also serves as a pilot to The Adventures of Blinky Bill.

## **Plot**

The local woodland animals are going through their days as normal until two men, Harry and Joe, start to take down the entire forest with their tractor. The animals evacuate as many trees fall down, and more trees are cut down including Mrs. Koala's home, and a falling tree knocks Blinky unconscious.

At sunrise nothing is left of the bush and every animal is left homeless. They move out of the grounds to search for a new home, including Mr. Wombat, by the locals. Blinky, dazed and confused, calls for his mother, but she is nowhere in sight. Blinky rescues a young female koala named Nutsy from a cluster of fallen trees. They both run into Mr. Wombat. Nutsy tells him that Blinky has amnesia, so Mr. Wombat informs Blinky of his past.

Blinky was a very mischievous sort, causing trouble and receiving a scolding from Mayor Pelican, his teacher Miss Magpie and his mother for his many antics. He once encountered and escaped Ms. Pym at her general store. His mother then disciplines him and cries about the grief he is causing her. By the end of the story, Blinky is feeling very guilty about the trouble he had caused for his mother, so he decides to find her.

Blinky and Nutsy make their way towards a riverbank where they meet up with a hard of hearing Granny Grunty Koala. Down the river, they meet up with Splodge and his parents who tell them about what happened to Mrs. Koala, who refused to evacuate out of pride of her own home. Blinky and Nutsy make their way to the waiting line where Mayor Pelican is assigning all the woodlanders to their places. Blinky Bill approaches the mayor who is less than pleased, and orders Nurse Angelina to take the children to the leaking North Cave, but unfortunately, Blinky's mother isn't there.

Blinky asks Ruff's mother for directions to the woodchip mill. Ignoring the fact there is danger there, Blinky goes to find his mother at the mill, and Nutsy follows him as they make their way though a rampaging river and the woods. They finally make it to the mill. The wood chip mill is home to the very woodcutters that felled their homes.

The next morning Blinky and Nutsy witness the woodcutters reducing the animals' former homes into sawdust, narrowly escaping the circular buzz-saw. Then they stay in hiding till night time, but as they try to escape, they alert the dogs. When Blinky slingshot the security light, Harry's wife Flo urges her husband to investigate. Blinky manages to slip out of the place, but Nutsy is trapped and makes a run for it, climbing into the bedroom of the family's daughter Claire Ann.

Blinky tearfully goes back to tell the others about the tragic news. Blinky's gang form a rescue party, forcing Marcia to join them. Blinky has Jacko drop Marcia down the chimney of the woodcutters' house, taking notes of the house layout and items. Meanwhile, Nutsy climbs into Claire's bed who wakes up happy to find a real koala in her, bed and manages to get her parents to let her keep the koala temporarily.

Blinky's gang sneak up to the house at night, then break into the house, but then they start up a commotion. Claire immediately hides herself and Nutsy in her bedroom cupboard. Splodge manages to fend off both the dogs and Joe, while Blinky keeps Harry and Flo locked in their bedroom. In the chaos that follows, the wood chip machines startup. Blinky gets Nutsy out of the house and they both fight off Harry. The chain of chaotic events against Harry and Joe end them up in a water tank. Blinky locates his mother and they all leave the place in the woodcutters' truck, while Claire waves tearfully goodbye to her new-found koala friends.

## **Characters**

### **Animal characters**

* Blinky Bill
* Nutsy
* Flap
* Splodge
* Marcia Mouse
* Jacko
* Mr. Wombat
* Mrs. Koala
* Mayor Pelican
* Mrs. Magpie
* Angelina
* The Frogs

### **Humans**

* Claire Ann
* Harry
* Joe
* Flo Ann
* Ms. Pimm (flashback)

## **Character voices**

* Robyn Moore
* Keith Scott
* Ross Higgins

## **Soundtrack**

The film's soundtrack was released on CD and cassette.

1. **Sleep Bush Baby Sleep - Julie Anthony**
2. **Gribbit (Frog Song) - Ross Higgins**
3. **You and Me - Robyne Dunn, Geoff Robertson, and Kevin Bennett**
4. **Working Class Man - Jimmy Barnes**

Original Score By John Palmer

Original Songs Performed by Robyn Moore & Keith Scott

1. I'm Old Man Wombo
2. I'm Blinky Bill
3. Arithmetic Song
4. I Am the Mayor
5. Nutsy’s Ballad
6. Motherhood
7. How I Hate Koalas
8. Snakes are So Superior
9. Country Girls
10. Don’t Try to Sing Underwater
11. Home
12. Who’s on the Menu Tonight
13. Whistle Song

## **Trivia**

* The first appearance of Blinky, Nutsy, Flap, Splodge, Marcia, Jacko, Mrs. Koala, Mr. Wombat, Mayor Pelican, Mrs. Magpie, and Angelina.

* You and Me was taken from the ABC album "Between You and Me", the Albury Wodonga film "Jimmy’s Original Music Tour: The Movie", and the New South Wales & Victoria movie "The New South Wales & Victoria Tour" Working Class Man was also taken from the Mushroom album "For The Working Class Man", the Disney Pixar movie "Inside Out", the Albury Wodonga film "Jimmy’s Original Music Tour: The Movie" and the New South Wales & Victoria movie "The New South Wales & Victoria Tour" 2 songs "Sleep Bush Baby Sleep" by Julie Anthony and "Gribbit (Frog Song)" by Ross Higgins were both demo and they were not included in the Albury Wodonga film "Jimmy’s Original Music Tour: The Movie" or the New South Wales & Victoria movie "The New South Wales & Victoria Tour", but they were included in "Blinky Bill The Mischievous Koala".

## **Television Series**

Main article: *The Adventures of Blinky Bill*

The film was followed by a 26-episode television series, *The Adventures of Blinky Bill* that aired on Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Seven Network for three seasons.

## **Transcript**

Main article: Blinky Bill: The Mischievous Koala/Transcript

## **External link**

* Blinky Bill: The Mischievous Koala at Wikipedia