A group of five schoolchildren – Tony from Australia (Tony Hughes), Mark from America (Chris Benaud), David from England (Robert Edgington), Anna from Germany (Jane Vallis) and Su Ying from China (Amanda Ma) – are sailing onboard a ship called the United World as part of an international youth expedition and study trip when they are shipwrecked in a typhoon and wash up on an uncharted Pacific island called Tambu.
The inhabitants of the island – ruled over by a 200-year-old tyrant called simply “Q” – have been out of touch with the world since the 1800s and know only the ways and manners of that time.
The arrival of the modern children frightens them, but the kids live happily, running their own affairs with only the occasional minor irritation of Q’s pirates – and Prime Minister Rufus Quad (Ric Hutton) – to deal with.
The kids are assisted by Helen Quinn (Margaret Nelson) and her family.
Made in Australia by the 0-10 network with Paramount TV, and filmed just north of Sydney (NSW), the series was a modest hit domestically but enjoyed great success overseas.
There once was a wealthy man with a wonderful idea
To bring children from all places
With all kinds of faces
Together in a sailing ship
there were 40 boys and girls
They would sail the ship around the globe
so they called it the United World
The ship was just three weeks from shore
When a hurricane poured down
The waves were big as mountains
They felt they would surely drown
They jumped into a lifeboat
And rowed away from the wreck
They didn’t count them
They hadn’t time
Five children were left behind
The children fought the storm all night
They finally fell asleep
They didn’t realize the ship had blown across the reef
Into the lost islands
Hiding in the bushes were a watchful pair of eyes
And living in the valley were people lost in time
Ruled over by a tyrant whose face was in a mask
The children must defeat him
So they can escape at last
From the lost islands . . .
Anna Jane Vallis Mark Chris Benaud Su Ying Amanda Ma David Robert Edgington Tony Tony Hughes Helen Quinn Margaret Nelson Mrs Elizabeth Quinn Cornelia Frances Jason Quinn
Michael Howard Aaron Quinn Rodney Bell Jeremiah Quizzle Willie Fennell Prime Minister Rufus Quad Ric Hutton Quig Frank Gallacher Quell Ron Blanchard Q Ron Hadrick
Episodes
Captured | The Snake Pit | The Treasure of Tambu | The Volcano’s Secret | The Winds of Change | Malo | Doomed | The Treasure Map | The Mysterious Stranger | Skullduggery | The Great Escape | Jeremiah and the Widow | The Thieves of Tambu | The Deadly Bargain | Hanging Five | The Sea Dragon | Return to Malo | Ye Confounded Wheels | The Angry Mountain | The Great Horse Race | Birdman of Tambu | The Magic Box | The Wizard of Tambu | The Slave Horse | The Monster of Tambu | Return of the Monster
