Doctor David Mitchell (Peter Curtin) and his children Nick (Steven Jacobson) and Susie (Kate Gorman) live at the Royal Melbourne Zoo in Australia.
“Mitch” (a widower) is the zoo’s resident veterinarian, Ken Bennett (John Orcsik) is the nice director of the zoo who has to juggle the needs of the people and animals in his care against the constraints of his budget, and Thomas Spencer (Jon Finlayson) is the pompous and bombastic board member and benefactor who controls the purse strings and seems to loathe animals, children and life, roughly in that order.
Harry Zylcha (Charles Bronson lookalike Maciej Staniewicz) is the gruff Eastern European keeper, Peta Hamilton (Gennie Nevinson) his passionate keeper colleague, and Julie Davis (Rebecca Gibney) is the warm-hearted zoologist (and love interest for Mitch).
Young flaxen-haired Tim Watson (Robert Summers), the son of the grounds superintendent, is an inventive only child – a Walter Mitty-in-training, prone to flights of fancy and fantasy.
It was all good, lively, honest fun and the series provided many storylines without leaving the walls of the zoo.
The episode ‘Yvonne the Terrible’ guest-starred a young Kylie Minogue as a ward of the state with a bad attitude who runs amok in the zoo when she comes to stay with Susie and Nick.
This Crawford Production for Channel Nine was based on a book by Robin Klein.
Dr David Mitchell
Peter Curtin Nick Mitchell
Steven Jacobson Susie Mitchell
Kate Gorman Julie Davis
Rebecca Gibney Tim Watson
Robert Summers Ken Bennett
John Orcsik Thomas Spencer
Jon Finlayson Peta Hamilton
Gennie Nevinson Harry Zychla
Maciej Staniewicz Mrs Spencer
Marion Heathfield Andrew Webster
Chris Connelly
Episodes
Seal Song | Elephants and Runaways | Watson of the Jungle | Trust Me | The Last Cheetah | Reptiles Can’t Cry | Going Ape | Star Attraction | A Bird In the Hand | The Way of the Bison | Going Home | Short Waves, Tall Stories | Penguin Parade | All in a Day’s Holiday | Ride of Your Life | Rotters and Otters | Dangers of the Job | Love, Romance and Elephants | Me and Jane | Tote That Bale | Diamantes are Forever | A Bunch of Immigrants | Yvonne the Terrible | Mavis of the Apes | Monkey Business | The Good, the Bad and Martin
Harry Zylcha (Charles Bronson lookalike Maciej Staniewicz) is the gruff Eastern European keeper, Peta Hamilton (Gennie Nevinson) his passionate keeper colleague, and Julie Davis (Rebecca Gibney) is the warm-hearted zoologist (and love interest for Mitch).
