australian television information archive

Poachers

Episode 1.01
Screenplay by Michael Wright
Story by Lee Robinson
Directed by Max Varnel

Sonny, Mark and Jerry investigate an expensive game fishing cruiser with three men aboard after Skippy and Sonny came across men trapping animals in the bush at night. Swimming out to the cruiser, Jerry overhears a conversation which indicates the men are stealing koalas for Dr. Stark's private zoo.

Starring: Ed Devereaux, Tonny Bonner, Ken James, Garry Pankhurst and featuring Skippy The Bush Kangaroo

With: Eric Reiman as Repping, John Armstrong as Baker, Billy Cox as Bruhl

Note: Michael Wright won an Australian Writers Guild award for this episode

Sports Car Rally

Episode 1.02
Screenplay by Creswick Jenkinson
Story by Lee Robinson
Directed by Max Varnel

An invasion of sports cars threatens the life of protected fauna in Waratah National Park, but when Matt leads a rescue squad to save the life of a driver pinned under his car in a serious accident, the rally organisers gratefully decide on another venue.

With: Bruce Barry as Morley, Tom Dysart as Andrews

The Golden Reef

Episode 1.03
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Story by Ron Taylor
Directed by Max Varnel

Skin-diving geologists discover aluvial gold on a reef at Seal Rocks, in the mouth of the Flinders River. Thieves move in armed with deadly spear guns, and once again Matt, Sonny and Skippy are there to stop them.

With: Christine Bartlett as Sandra, Robin Cuming as Alex, Reginald Evans as Frog, Bob Haddow as Sailor

Long Way Home

Episode 1.04
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Max Varnel

Dr. Alexander Stark is determined to have Skippy for his private zoo. When Matt Hammond refuses to sell at any price, Stark has two of his henchman steal the kangaroo and she begins a tense series of adventures to find her way home.

With: Frank Thring as Doctor Stark, Red Moore as McMurtrie, Don Crosby as Snapes

Cage Of Koalas

Episode 1.05
Screenplay by Denys Burrows
Directed by Eric Price

A research scientist who is to study marsupial wildlife at Waratah National Park turns out to be an attractive young woman. Her methods anger Chief Ranger Matt Hammond and she has to be rescued from serious trouble on a koala trapping foray into the lonely bush.

Guest star: Elke Neidhart as Dr Anna Steiner

The Lyre Bird

Episode 1.06
Screenplay by Joan Levy
Directed by Eric Price

Sonny makes a new friend Lisa, a young ballerina. Together they find an aged Botanist who has been missing in Waratah National Park and, with Skippy's help, bring about his rescue.

With: Gita Rivera as Lisa, Charles McCallum as Sir John Banks, Liza Goddard as Clancy

Dead Or Alive

Episode 1.07
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Story by James Workman
Directed by Eric Price

A mysterious disease threatens to wipe out all animals in Waratah National Park, and evidence points to Skippy as the carrier. Sonny is heartbroken at the possibility of losing Skippy, and disappears into the bush with the kangaroo. There he comes across a poacher, and Dr. Steiner discovers that the poacher's dogs are the actual carriers of the disease.

Guest star: Elke Neidhart as Dr Anna Steiner, Alan Light as Cummings, Des Rolfe as The Poacher

The Marine Biologist

Episode 1.08
Screenplay by John Warwick
Story by Lee Robinson
Directed by Dennis Hill

Mark is unhappy when his father, Matt Hammond, tells him to accompany a marine biologist who wants to collect underwater specimens. But his misery turns to delight when he discovers that the marine biologist is a spunky young woman. The two of them quickly find themselves having to rescue Skippy and an unconscious Sonny from an out-of-control speedboat.

Featuring: Kathy Troutt, World Deep Dive Champion

No Time For Clancy

Episode 1.09
Written by Denys Burrows
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Max Varnel

Matt Hammond is faced with a human problem when one of his rangers moves to a new nature reserve up north, taking his wife and sons but leaving his daughter Clancy, who has exams pending, to board with the Hammonds. Clancy is in trouble from the moment she comes to stay, and she gets the idea she is not wanted and runs away.

With: Elke Neidhart as Anna Steiner, Liza Goddard as Clancy, Jack Allan as Truck Driver

Time and Tide

Episode 1.10
Written by Michael Wright
Directed by Eric Fullilove

While working on a project for Dr Steiner, Clancy encounters trouble and is in risk of drowning when her leg becomes trapped underwater.

With: Elke Neidhart as Anna Steiner, Liza Goddard as Clancy

Can You Keep A Secret?

Episode 1.11
Written by Pter Finnane
Directed by Max Varnel

Sonny takes Clancy to his secret hideout where the pair are taken hostage by an escaped convict. Skippy brings help and jumps on the convict, allowing Sonny to get free of his clutches and for Matt to overpower the criminal.

With: Slim DeGrey as Skeen, Elke Neidhart as Anna Steiner, Liza Goddard as Clancy, Walter Sullivan as Detective

The Swagman

Episode 1.12
Screenplay by
Story by
Directed by Max Varnel

An old tramp, Trundle, looking for odd jobs, fascinates Sonny with tales of adventure. However, Matt Hammond believes the stories are figments of Trundle's imagination and considers it a bad association for Sonny. Trouble begins when the old swagman gives Sonny an expensive antique watch as a parting gift. Matt discovers the gift, asks the police to trace the owner… and discovers the Swagman's secret. Trundle turns out to be Miles Vincent Archer, the wealthy chairman of a vast corporation.

With: Gerry Duggan as Mr Trundle, Liza Goddard as Clancy, Elke Neidhart as Anna Steiner

The Honeymooners

Episode 1.13
Written by Denys Burrows
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Eric Fullilove

When the greedy wife of a rich husband tries to trap Skippy, wanting her skin for a fur coat, Sonny finds himself locked in the cabin of a speeding cruiser, with no-one but Skippy aboard to help him.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, June Thody as April, Noel Brophy as Roland

Many Happy Returns

Episode 1.14
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Story by John McCallum
Directed by Eric Fullilove

Sonny's birthday wish comes true — a ride in the helicopter, but not the way he expects. While flying over Sydney, Flight Ranger Jerry King collapses, leaving Sonny alone with the controls. To save their lives, Matt tries to use a tranquilizer gun to deliver the medicine to Jerry while flying alongside. When that fails, Sonny must be talked through landing the helicopter on his own.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Kenneth Goodlet as Jim Ferguson, Derek Barnes as Dr. Morton

My Best Friend

Episode 1.15
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Mark Varnel

Sonny paints a picture of Skippy for his art class but before he mails it in, Mark replaces it with a 'better' one he made to help Sonny get a better grade. Sharing Mark's good intentions, Clancy unknowingly swaps Mark's painting for her 'better' version but when the painting is entered in a prestigious art competition and talk of an art scholarship begins, Clancy and Mark must come clean.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Pamela Raymond as Sonia Pearson

When The Bough Breaks

Episode 1.16
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Mark Varnel

Skippy rescues a baby from drowning when the child's pram rolls into the river. Skippy alerts Sonny who brings the baby back to the house just as Matt, Jerry, and Mark are leaving to help the distraught parents search for their lost baby.

With: Jeanie Drynan as Dulcie Condon, Mike Dorsey as Alan Condon

The Waratah Festival

Episode 1.17
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Story by Carol Odell
Directed by Mark Varnel

A diamond thief loses a valuable necklace while on the run from the police in the park. The thief sees Skippy find it and places it in her pouch and follows her back to the ranger station where the Hammonds are busy building a parade float. The thief stows away on the float and a dramatic fight breaks out when he tries to recover the necklace as the float makes its way through the streets of Sydney.

With: Ted Hepple as Tacky, Bill Hodge as Coutts, Stanley Rodgers as Butler

Summer Storm

Episode 1.18
Screenplay by Ed Devereaux
Directed by Eric Fullilove

Ranger Headquarters is cut off by a violent storm as Matt Hammond lies poisoned by a snakebite. The phone line is down, the radio is not working, the serum is lost in the creek, the helicopter is out of fuel, the bridge is out and the ford is flooded. Skippy crosses an impassable gorge to fetch help, and the life-saving serum is parachuted to Ranger Headquarters just in time.

With: Reg Gorman as Jim Paine

The Rustlers

Episode 1.19
Written by Margaret Trist
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Eric Fullilove

Sonny, helped by Skippy, takes a job with a team of sheep shearers, not knowing they are rustlers, to earn money to buy a birthday present for his father. His absence from home puts Matt Hammond on the track of the three strange characters who have developed a variation of sheep rustling — they only take the wool!

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Jack Allan as Joe, Willie Fennell as Ernie, Mark McManus as Ted

Double Trouble

Episode 1.20
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Story by Ed Devereaux
Directed by [not given]

Matt Hammond's boss and a government Senator decide to sack him after it appears that Matt has run their car off the road and threatened them. It transpires that Dr. Stark has hired an actor to impersonate Matt Hammond in order to discredit him, but the whole scheme backfires and Dr. Stark has to honour the promise of a $10,000 donation to Waratah National Park.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Frank Thring as Doctor Stark, John Warwick as Gillespie, Anthony Bazell as Senator Winthrop, Thelma Scott as Mrs Winthrop, Ed Deveraux as Loder

Trapped

Episode 1.21
Written by Peter Kay
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Mark Varnel

Dr Stark sends an operative into the park to collect a rare ant-eater specimen using a special gas-emitting camera. Clancy stumbles across the collector and is temporarily paralysed by the device. Skippy returns an incriminating audio recording of the encounter back to the ranger HQ leading to the thief's capture and Clancy's safe return.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Frank Thring as Dr. Stark, Colin Croft as Prof. Lewis, Anthony Thurbon as Quentin

They're Singing Me Back

Episode 1.22
Screenplay by Kay Keavney
Directed by Eric Fullilove

Aboriginal warriors come to Waratah National Park to claim a run-away tribal girl. Head Ranger Matt Hammond defies their spears, convinces the elder that the girl's great talent for singing can help bring white and black people closer together.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Candy Devine as Moona, Harry Carpenter as Old One

Tara [Part 1]

Episode 1.23
Writen by Joan Levy
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Mark Varnel

Sonny and Skippy discover the hidden entrance to a remote valley, thought to be inaccessible and uninhabited. There Sonny makes friends with an old Aboriginal living alone, whose tribe has long since migrated to other parts of the country. One day Sonny finds Tara weak and in a semi-coma — he believes he has been visited by a 'death spirit' and is going to die.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Ali Miller as Tara, Tom Farley as Judd

Tara [Part 2]

Episode 1.24
Writen by Joan Levy
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Mark Varnel

Matt locates Mr Judd, the businessman whose life Tara saved, hoping he will help bring in people from Tara's tribe who will have the ability to free Tara from death.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Ali Miller as Tara, Tom Farley as Judd

Surf King

Episode 1.25
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Mark Varnel

While Park Ranger Matt Hammond and Clancy are busy fighting a bush fire, Jerry makes a gallant attempt to win the Bondi Surf Championship — despite having just sustained serious injuries while rescuing a surfer girl in distress.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Tina Cornioley as Helen, Nigel Lovell as Dr Martin

The Runaway

Episode 1.26
Written by Will Pryor
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Eric Fullilove

A young runaway holds Mark and Jerry at gunpoint demanding to be flown out of the park. Skippy leaps to the rescue and the boy flees on foot only to go over a ravine. Jerry risks his life the boy who would rather fall to his death than accept help.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Gavin Hamilton as Tom

The Last Chance

Episode 1.27
Screenplay by J. Benn Darrow
Story by Creswick Jenkinson
Directed by Eric Fullilove

An aging film star attempts a comeback on a new movie being filmed in the National Park. When Skippy inserts herself into a scene, a new star is born — much to the annoyance of the leading man who tries to have Skippy 'taken care of'.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Alexander Archdale as Byron Creswell, Alan Scott as Max Lovejoy, Lex Mitchell as Hogwell, David Copping as Andy

No Trespassers

Episode 1.28
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Mark Varnel

Skippy stumbles on a secret boxing training camp illegally set up in Waratah National Park. A young champion, Rocky Miller, takes a forbidden joy ride in the helicopter with Jerry King, and a forced landing has surprise results.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Gary Gray as Rocky Miller, Jimmy Carruthers as Frank and guest starring Chips Rafferty

Mayday [Part One]

Episode 1.29
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Story by Tony Booth
Directed by Mark Varnel

Flight Ranger Jerry King breaks Waratah Park regulations when a helicopter flight is the only way he can keep a date with his girlfriend, Babs. A dramatic crash results — and Skippy again comes to the rescue.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Barbara Joss as Barbara Mason

Mayday [Part Two] (aka Where There's Smoke)

Episode 1.30
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Story by Tony Booth
Directed by Mark Varnel

Two Crash Detectives investigate Jerry's helicopter accident and are unable to substantiate his story of going off course to check on a bushfire. Skippy and Sonny head off to find the evidence needed to clear Jerry of the charges.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Barbara Joss as Barbara Mason, John Warwick as Gillespie, Ray Lamont as Hawks, Bill Hunter as Rankin

Date In Dalmar

Episode 1.31
Written by Ross Napier
Directed by Eric Fullilove

With Sonny Hammond as a hostage and a rifle pointed at Head Ranger Matt Hammond's head, bank robber Keeler forces Matt to drive him from Waratah National Park to keep his rendezvous with accomplices.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, John Warwick as Gillespie, Max Cullen as Keeler

The Empty Chair

Episode 1.32
Written by Ross Napier
Directed by Max Varnel

Sonny travels to Sydney to persuade his friend Mr Trundle (alias Miles Vincent Archer) to return temporarily to his desk as chairman of a vast corporation and reverse the board's decision to despoil Waratah National Park by drilling for oil.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Gerry Duggan as M. V. Archer, Fernande Glyn as Miss Dempster, Gordon Glenwright as Coombes, Phil Jay as Lindsay, Ben Gabriel as Receptionist

Ten Little Visitors

Episode 1.33
Written by Ross Napier
Directed by Max Varnel

Sonny and Skippy become guides for foreign children stopping at Waratah National Park while touring Australia.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Kate McKitrick as miss Duval, Betty Lim Saw Yim as Miss Ho, Janet Kingsbury as Miss Vernon

Aunt Evelyn

Episode 1.34
Written by Ross Napier
Directed by Eric Fullilove

When Aunt Evelyn comes to Waratah National Park determined to persuade Head Ranger Matt Hammond that he should put his younger boy Sonny in boarding school in Sydney. Sonny and Skippy save Evelyn from death by drowning and Sonny is saved from a fate he'd consider worse than death.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Darlene Johnson as Aunt Evelyn

The Bushrangers

Episode 1.35
Written by Ross Napier
Directed by Eric Fullilove

Alone at Ranger Headquarters, Jerry is overpowered by burglars who take everything movable. Later, Sonny and Skippy come across a group wearing Ned Kelly armour entering a cave. Sonny suspects they are the burglars, but they turn out to be a pop group, 'The Bushrangers', who have set up their instruments in the Park after being driven from their town by neighbours complaining about the noise. The group eventually help catch the burglars after a sloppy mud fight.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, John Gray as Mr Wilson, Fred Sims as Bill, Reg Evans as Fred, Jim Bowles as Mike, Al Kenny as Jack. The Bushranger Group played by The Executives.

Man From Space

Episode 1.36
Screeplay by J. Benn Darrow
Story by Lee Robinson and Dennis Hill
Directed by Lee Robinson

Sonny has been placed in charge of an automatic recording unit deep in the bush of Waratah National Park, supervised by his father, Chief Ranger Matt Hammond. While servicing the box, Sonny finds an Air Force pilot who has ejected from his airplane. In trying to rescue him, Sonny slips and becomes trapped on a cliff face. Skippy goes for help and returns with Matt who rescues Sonny and, with help from Mark and Jerry in the helicopter, the pilot as well.

With: David Williams as Squadron Leader,

Be Our Guest

Episode 1.37
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Max Varnel

Thrown from her horse deep in the bush of Waratah National Park, Clancy is hopelessly lost and her mother is due at Ranger Headquarters to see how Head Ranger Matt Hammond has been looking after the teenaged house-guest. A band of aboriginal nomads find Clancy and bring her back to headquarters, just in time.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Jessica Noad as Mrs. Merrick

The Long Night

Episode 1.38
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Max Varnel

A pair of industrial spies, on the trail of a secret roll of microfilm, masquerade as detectives and try to cover their tracks by accusing Mark of a hit-and-run accident. Only Skippy is aware of their true identities.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Don Philips as Avery, George Assang as Coote, Walter Sullivan as Sergeant Ames

View Matt

Episode 1.39
Screenplay by Ross Napier
Directed by Max Varnel

Overhearing the doctor tell Matt that he ought to marry again, Sonny tries his hand at matchmaking when he answers lonely hearts advertisements in Matt's name — and has to face the consequences.

With: Liza Goddard as Clancy, Beryl Cheers as Prudence Frith, Ron Shand as Ernie Stubbs, Max Osbiston as Dr. Morton