Emily Wind ranks some of the most memorable Australian kids shows to ever hit our TV screens. 

I truly miss the feeling of getting home from a long day of school, sitting on the couch without a worry in my mind and turning on ABC3 for an afternoon of entertainment. Our generation grew up with some really great TV shows that remain just as enjoyable today. Below I’ll be ranking some of these shows based on how iconic they are.

PSA: I’m not including classics like Round the Twist, The Wiggles and Play School because they’re on another level to these shows and are just too hard to rank.

12. The Ferals

Image via 9Honey, no changes made

Theme song: ★★☆☆☆
Re-watch-ability: ★☆☆☆☆

This show is truly haunting, so it’s going last on my list. Just look into Mixy’s eyes and tell me you never had a nightmare about her. I guess this does make it iconic, though– I don’t remember a thing about the plot, but definitely, haven’t forgotten the characters. It scores some points purely for the 90s nostalgia.

11. Trapped

Image via YouTube, no changes made

Theme song: ★★☆☆☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★☆☆☆

This show was always entertaining to watch after a long, tiring day at school. I remember enjoying it so much, despite never really knowing what was going on. Like, did the kids ever leave the island? Did we ever find out what actually happened to their parents? Looking back, I think I cared more about whether Ryan and Natasha were ever going to get together.

10. Dead Gorgeous

Theme song: ★★★★☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★☆☆☆

Technically an Australian-British show, Dead Gorgeous had a great plot that was continually entertaining. It would be higher on the list, but since it only had one season it isn’t as memorable as other shows. Plus, I feel like most of us were a bit older when this aired so it doesn’t have the same nostalgic feeling. That doesn’t mean there weren’t plenty of hilarious and heart-warming scenes.

9. Spellbinder

Image via ACTF, no changes made

Theme song: ★★☆☆☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★★☆☆

Who cares about crappy animations when you have a killer plot and a great cast of characters? Spellbinder was the epic fantasy that prepared us all for Game of Thrones. It almost had me believing that parallel worlds really existed. Also, Ashka is one of the most iconic antagonists of all time and you can’t change my mind.

8. Jeopardy

Image via IMDb, no changes made

Theme song: ★☆☆☆☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★★☆☆

This show was absolutely terrifying but did that stop any of us from watching it? No. The plot was so detailed and so interesting that you just couldn’t risk missing an episode. Safe to say I found bushwalking a lot more frightening after watching the characters get abducted by aliens one too many times.

7. The Tribe

Theme song: ★★★★☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★★★☆

I don’t know about you guys, but I was OBSESSED with The Tribe growing up. So much so that I cosplayed as Amber before I even knew what cosplay was. The plot was so memorable and answered a question I’m sure most of us had as a kid – what would happen if all the adults disappeared? It’s just as entertaining today if you can get past the bad acting.

6. The Sleepover Club

Theme song: ★★★★☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★☆☆☆

The Sleepover Club’s cast was so iconic – Eliza Taylor, Caitlin Stacey and Ryan Corr all in the same show? Yes, please. It never really mattered if you missed an episode because you could pick it up anywhere and still enjoy it just as much. The only bad thing about this show was that all IRL sleepovers could never live up to the standards this set.

5. Blue Water High

Image via YouTube, no changes made

Theme song: ★★★☆☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★★★☆

If you tell me that you never had a crush on a character from Blue Water High, you’re lying. I remember being insanely jealous that they got to surf every day instead of going to school. Netflix needs to pick this show up ASAP, I’m due for a re-watch.

4. Mortified

Image via ACTF, no changes made

Theme song: ★★★★★
Re-watch-ability: ★★★☆☆

Where other kids shows focused on older teens or characters in fantasy situations, Mortified focused on an awkward primary-aged kid and it was so. damn. relatable. Taylor Fry’s fourth wall breaks never got old, neither did her parents embarrassing antics. Truly the best show to watch after school when you needed a laugh.

3. The Saddle Club

Theme song: ★★★★★
Re-watch-ability: ★★★☆☆

The Saddle Club was so powerful it could turn anyone into a certified Horse Girl™. Watching this show, I wanted nothing more than to buy a horse and join Lisa, Carole and Stevie’s girl gang. I got the theme song stuck in my head every few months, and still do sometimes. Also, never forget that Chris Hemsworth randomly made an appearance as a vet.

2. Dance Academy

Image via ACTF, no changes made

Theme song: ★★★★☆
Re-watch-ability: ★★★★★

When Dance Academy began airing, it totally blew all other ABC3 shows out of the water. With the perfect mix of drama, romance and teen angst, it had everything you could want in a show. It also tackled lots of important issues such as eating disorders, coming to terms with your sexuality and coping with loss. I think we all cried with our friends at school after watching that episode.

1. H2O: Just Add Water

Theme song: ★★★★★
Re-watch-ability: ★★★★★

With lots of competition, H2O takes the number one place as the most iconic Aussie kids show from our generation. The theme song slaps so hard and the episodes are just as entertaining today as they were when they were released. The magic of Mako Island felt so real that it was impossible to swim at the beach without imagining myself with a tail and special water-bending abilities. I sometimes doubt if Australia will ever produce a show this iconic again.

Feature image: Netflix, no changes made.