Character One:
Matilda Belinda Jayne Morrison-Flynn (Arrived April 2010)
Birthday: 14th of
October (age 15)
Location(s):
Leura, New South Wales
Relatives:
Florence (younger sister), Sarah (younger cousin), Marcia (younger cousin)
Nicknames:
Tillie, Tilda
About: Matilda is
a shy, sweet and sensitive girl. She finds it hard to make friends, however
once she does make friends she tends to form a very close bond with them, and
she treasures them with all her heart. Tillie is a devout bookworm and writer.
She could read 3 novels in one day if she had the time! You can always find her
on her bed, on the lounge or underneath the bushes with a good book in her
hand. She writes like a mad thing. Her head is always full of ideas for stories
that she could write. She has a way with words, even being given the nickname
"walking, talking dictionary" by her teachers and fellow classmates.
Due to her extremely quiet and shy nature, she prefers to express her true
feelings and ideas through written word rather than spoken word. Whenever
someone understands her quiet nature, she is always so relieved and grateful.
Despite her quiet nature, she is never afraid to stand up for her little sister
and cousins; as they are the most important people in her life. She aspires to
be an author or English teacher when she leaves school.
Character Two:
Merridy Skye Lumdenberg (Arrived October
2010)
Birthday: 26th of
January (age 11)
Location(s):
Somerset, England and Cairns, Queensland
Relatives:
Non-applicable
Nicknames: Merry
About: Merridy is
the youngest, but most vivacious of the Down-Under Dolls! She grew up in London
for the first eight years of her life. When she was eight, her mother and
little sister were killed intentionally. She then had no choice but to move to
Australia to live with her uncle and aunty; who were the only other relatives
she had. Australia was the greatest contrast imaginable to England, and she
initially struggled to adapt to her new surroundings. She eventually learnt
over the years to adapt to her new home, and nowadays she calls herself a
“true-blue Aussie” – after all, her birthday is Australia Day! As her nickname
suggests, she is a merry young girl. She's outgoing and friendly; however she
is quite timid when it comes to trying new things. When people meet her for the
first time, they can already tell that she is friendly and that they can rely
on her. She is sporty, and enjoys athletics and swimming. She also loves the
thrill of being able to teach other people. Her career aspiration is to become
a PE teacher at a high school, so that she can teach teenagers about the
importance of physical and mental health – something very close to her heart.
Character Three:
Jasmine Maureen Chin (Arrived Christmas Day 2011)
Date of Birth:
16th of November (age 15)
Location(s): South
Korea and Kensington, Victoria
Relatives: Zienna (younger cousin)
Nicknames: Jazz,
Jazzie, Jazz Hands (only Amy can call her that!)
About: Jasmine
was born in South Korea but has called Australia home since she was 4. A bit of
a diva, she is quite modest and self-conceited. But, like everyone else, she is
a lovely person – unless, of course, you get on her bad side! She lives and
breathes fashion and design. Ever since she was little, she's always had a kick
out of creating funky and original outfit combinations. When she was 6, she
started to learn how to sew; starting with doll clothes. Nowadays, she can
create full length formal dresses. She always is on the lookout for sales, and
enjoys shopping sprees. She loves mending clothing and even selling her own
creations at the markets and on Etsy. She is always the first to pick up a
fashion trend, and is very critical of details. However, she also enjoys
setting her own trends and standing out in comparison to everyone else. She has
a lot of self-confidence, and exerts her flair loudly and proudly! She hopes to
be a seamstress and a fashion designer when she's older.
Character Four:
Florence Kelsey Gloria Morrison-Flynn (Arrived Christmas Day 2011)
Birthday: 28th of
December (age 12)
Location(s):
Leura, New South Wales
Relatives:
Matilda (older sister), Sarah (older cousin), Marcia (older cousin)
Nicknames: Flo,
Florrie-dorrie
About: Florence
is a gloriously sweet young girl with a very kind heart. She loves everyone she
comes across, however, like her older sister and cousin, she is very shy (must
be in the genes!). She is a talented girl with the singing voice of an angel.
She adores music, and she plays the piano and writes her own songs. However,
she does have a personal difficulty. She has Childhood Glaucoma; a condition
that took away 35% of her eyesight and causes her eyes to be very sensitive to
light. She always has to wear her sunglasses when she goes outside, however she
can take them off for a small five minute break. Despite this, she has just as
good and exciting of a life as her older sister Matilda does! The two sisters
do nearly everything together, and are very supportive of each other’s varying
interests. Her dream career would be to make music for a living and tour around
the country, or perhaps a music teacher; so that she can pass along her love
for music to children.
Character Five:
Amy Dianne Banerjee (Arrived April 2012)
Birthday: 13th of
February (age 15)
Locations(s):
Kangaroo Island and Seacliff, South Australia
Relatives:
Non-applicable
Nicknames: Aims
About: Amy was born for the spotlight! She likes nothing more than exerting her confidence on stage, and in her life in general. She is an actress-in-the-making, and she is practising her craft early. She has already been in multiple school productions, in the lead and supporting roles. Her conviction is very believable! When she is not acting her heart away, she enjoys playing netball with her friends, playing with her twin little sisters; Susie and Ollie, and she loves it when she visits her grandparents on Kangaroo Island. Her grandpa is very melodramatic, so it is no wonder that Amy has a lot of dramatic flair! When Amy grows up, she wants to be an actress; just like her inspirations Miranda Tapsell and Deborah Mailman!
Character Six:
Alannah “Lana” Renee Brooks (Arrived October 2012)
Birthday: 30th of
September (age 14)
Location(s): St
Helens, Tasmania
Relatives: Aria
(younger sister), Janet (older cousin)
Nicknames: La-La,
Lana
About: Alannah's
heart is as big as the coastline that she loves so much. She is friendly and
full of fun and joy. She is outgoing and will somehow make a new friend
wherever she goes. Lana likes nothing more than to bushwalk through her local
wilderness – especially the Break O’Day National Park, and to challenge her
friends to all sorts of athletic endeavours. She is the big sister to Aria, and
the younger cousin of Janet. The three of them have a very close bond, and they
look forward to family get-togethers. Alannah loves children, and is fiercely
protective of any child she comes across. She believes that every child
deserves the right to a good quality education and a safe learning environment.
Luckily, it seems, all of the children she chances upon love her back! Her
desire when she leaves school is to be a pre-school teacher, so that she can
help nurture and inspire the next generation of Australians.
Character Seven: Sarah
Kate McDermott (Arrived January 2013)
Birthday: 8th of
October (age 14)
Locations:
Carlingford and Dangar Island, New South Wales
Relatives:
Matilda (cousin), Florence (cousin), Marcia (non-related cousin)
Nicknames: Sairs,
Picasso (by her cousins)
About: Sarah will
always find a way to paint a smile on someone's face. Like Matilda and
Florence, she is shy; however she is a slight bit less shy than her much-loved
cousins. She enjoys painting, drawing, sculpting and creating. She has a very
big imagination and can turn odds and ends into beautiful pieces of art. She
can paint and draw realistic portraits and she always stays inside the lines.
There is a reason that Florence calls her Picasso! In life in general, however,
she is willing to go outside the lines so that she can stand out. She inherited
her art skills from her nanna, who is her inspiration and muse. She is quietly
determined, strong willed and won't give up easily. When she sees fit, she'll
voice her opinions to hopefully change her world for the better. She plans on
being an art teacher when she's older, or even a professional artist, so that
she can make her nanna proud.
Character Eight:
Aria Jeanine Brooks (Arrived October 2013)
Birthday: 23rd of
September (age 12)
Location(s): St
Helens, Tasmania
Relatives:
Alannah (older sister), Janet (older cousin)
Nicknames: Ri-Ri,
Airy-fairy
About: Aria is a
rather glamorously wonderful girl. She is sweet and picture-perfect. She is the
adoring little sister of Alannah. Aria and Alannah are very close in age; there
is not even a year between them! Aria is very interested in the world around
her, and is curious about different cultures and countries. She loves to
explore and get to know more about Australia's locations and the history behind
them. She always enjoys holidays because she might get to go somewhere that she
hasn't already discovered every nook and cranny of. In fact; her parents and
her big sister always let her plan their family’s holidays; as she is always
filled with ideas as to where they should go next! She has a vast knowledge of
other countries and languages. She loves everyone, no matter where they come
from, and is accepting of everyone. She hopes to be a travel journalist or
travel agent when she's older. Aria is a bit of a globetrotter!
Character Nine:
Elysia Stephanie Kramer (Arrived January 2014)
Date of Birth:
28th of August (age 14)
Location(s)
Toowoomba City, Queensland
Relatives:
Non-applicable
Nicknames: Lysie,
Ezza
About: Elysia was
born to make people happy. Whenever she's in a room, she always brings a
positive vibe. It is hard to be grumpy when you're with her! Ever since she could
walk independently, she has had dancing toes. She would always spin and twirl
all over the place. It was evident that this girl had a talent; and that talent
was dancing. Whether she's lacing up a pair of ballet shoes, slipping on a pair
of jazz shoes or clickity-clacketing in tap shoes, she is most content whilst
dancing. Even though she loves to dance, she only does it for fun. Her real
passion is teaching others the Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN), as both of
her parents are deaf. She wishes that Australia was more accepting of those
with hearing difficulties, and that more people knew sign language. She really
hopes to be an ears, nose and throat specialist when she leaves school, so that
she can help others in a similar position to herself and her family.
Character Ten:
Celia Christine Trapaga (Arrived June 2014)
Birthday: 16th of
December (age 15)
Location(s):
Italy and Fremantle, Western Australia
Relatives:
Non-applicable
Nicknames: Ceels,
Chee (by her Nonna)
About: Born in
Italy, Celia moved to Australia at the age of six. Celia is cheerful and
bright. You can always find her telling someone a fantastic joke, or one of her
amazing yarns. Her main goal is to make others laugh and to make sure they are
happy. Her life revolves around embarrassing and funny stories. She can be
clutzy, but that is Ceels for you! She gets her funny bone from her Nonna; whom
she loves with all her heart. Every time her Nonna comes to Australia, Celia is
always thrilled to see her. Her Nonna also passed along her knack of gardening
to her granddaughter. Celia's home in Fremantle is the location of a very pretty
garden, which Celia alone has created over the past decade. Gardening helps
Celia feel connected to her Nonna, despite the fact that there is a hemisphere
between them. Once she leaves school, she wants to become a trained
horticulturalist, and perhaps open her own garden centre. She plants a seed of
joy wherever she goes!
Character Eleven:
Janet Katrina Kingsbury (Arrived January 2015)
Birthday: 9th of
September (age 14)
Location(s):
Lauderdale, Tasmania
Relatives:
Alannah (younger cousin), Aria (younger cousin)
Nicknames: Netty,
Elvis
About: You'll
always be able to pick out Janet from a crowd. She is extremely compassionate,
caring and loving. She is always willing to help someone when they are in need,
and will stand up for those who cannot. She is passionate about people and
strongly believes in human rights and justice. It only seems fitting that she'd
want to be a barrister at the Department Of Public Prosecutions when she
completes school. She does incredibly well at school and excels in public
speaking and debating. She is wise beyond her years. She also adores her
younger cousins, Alannah and Aria. The three of them have an unbreakable bond. Alannah
has given Janet the affectionate nickname of "Elvis", due to her last
name being "Kingsbury".
Janet's only weakness is that she occasionally can become a little too involved
in her friends’ lives. This weakness, however, is stemmed from her deep concern
for others. Janet is someone you'll always want at your side. She always has
your back, no matter what.
Character Twelve:
Marcia Sydney Flynn (Arrived February 2015)
Birthday: 8th of
January (age 15)
Location(s):
Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
Relatives:
Matilda (older cousin), Florence (younger cousin), Sarah (non-related cousin)
Nicknames: Marcie,
Marc, Poss
About: Marcia is
very outgoing, welcoming and fun! Unlike her cousins, she is most certainly not
shy. Marcia has called the Northern Territory her home since she was born. She
grew up on a cattle station just outside of the main city with her mother and
older brother. Every single January, during the summer holidays, she would go
down to New South Wales to spend 3 weeks with her cousins and their cousin on
the other side of their family, Sarah. She is very family orientated and always
wants the best for her family (and other people's, too). When she was little, the
Flying Doctor had to take her to hospital after falling out of a tree. She
realised that there were an abysmal lack of doctors, dentists and hospitals in
rural areas and, at the age of 5, she was determined to fix that. She longs to
become a doctor when she leaves school; and has started her training early! She
has learnt CPR, how to tend to someone who has had an allergic reaction and
knows how to determine whether an injury can be fixed with a bandage or if it
needs serious medical attention. If anyone ever needs help, they can always
rely on Marcia!
Character
Thirteen: Helen Agnetha McColl (Arrived October 2015)
Birthday: 11th of
August (age 14)
Location(s):
Jönköping, Sweden + Coll, Scotland and Ballarat, Victoria
Relatives: Non-applicable
Nicknames: Lenny,
Strawberry Shortcake
About: Helen is
very kind and understanding and is as sweet as a strawberry shortcake (her
father's affectionate nickname for her). In her life Helen has lived in three
different countries; Sweden, Scotland and now Australia! She is very proud of
her Swedish and Scottish heritage and celebrates Sveriges Nationaldag and Saint
Lucia's Day with pride! Helen's mother sadly passed away, days after Helen's
seventh birthday, in a train accident. For more than half of her life, her father
has raised her by himself. The two have a very close bond. Thanks to her
father's love of antiques and history, Helen fell in love with history and
loves everything vintage and antique. Her father decided to start sewing up replica
historical clothing for his little history-obsessed daughter to wear. He then
saw a business opportunity and opened up an antiques shop called "Älska
Mig Alltid" (translates to "Love Me Always", which is a perfect
name for a second hand store), as a nod to Helen's deceased mother’s heritage.
She hopes to run Älska Mig Alltid one day, or perhaps become a paediatrician;
just like her mother was.
Character
Fourteen: Georgie Selina Worley (Arrived Christmas Day 2015)
Birthday: 21st of
March (age 13)
Location(s):
Newcastle, New South Wales
Relatives: Judith
(older sister)
Nicknames:
Georgie-Girl
About: Georgie is a very understanding, generous girl who
pines for peace for everybody. Her and her big sister, Judy, have lived with
their grandparents ever since they were two and one years old. Their
grandparents are actually their adoptive parents, who adopted the girls from
foster care (both sisters are unrelated to each other). For as long as she
could remember, she has supported charities. There are photos of her in nappies
at charity events! When Judy was ten and Georgie was nine, their grandparents
took them on a three year sailing trip around Australia. They visited almost
all of Australia's big and medium sized surrounding islands. On these islands, Georgie
and her Grandmum volunteered at some of the local schools. Georgie discovered
there that there were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children like
herself who struggled to receive quality education. When Georgie is older, she
wants to be a politician in Aboriginal Affairs. In the meantime, she will
continue to raise awareness for education and volunteer at schools across her
local and state area, in particular rural Australia. Georgie-Girl is a friend
to all!
Character Fifteen:
Judith Elaheh Worley (Arrived January 2016)
Birthday: 3rd of
July (age 14)
Location(s):
Newcastle, New South Wales
Relatives:
Georgie (younger sister)
Nicknames: Judy,
Cap'n (by her granddad)
About: Judy has
always been fascinated by the water her whole life. When her and her little sister
Georgie were adopted by their grandparents, her Granddad immediately put her in
swimming lessons. She was a very strong swimmer by the age of six. She is a
nipper (junior lifesaver) at her local beach, and takes great pride in keeping
the beach safe for all. She especially loves boats and ships, as her granddad
owns the local maritime museum. She was thrilled when she went on a three year
sailing journey with her family; where they visited nearly all of Australia's
islands. Her granddad taught her how to sail the boat and how to care of it. He
said that she was his little captain in the making! She idolises her granddad
and wants to take over the maritime centre when she's older, although she would
like to be a marine biologist too. She feels so lucky that she can spend so
much time in the water. She hopes to set sail sometime soon again. With her
trusty compass necklace around her neck, she'll never get lost at sea!
Character Sixteen:
Iluka May Penera (Arrived October 2016)
Birthday: 25th of
June (age 13)
Location(s):
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Relatives:
Non-applicable
Nicknames: Lulu
About: Iluka is a
friendly young girl from Australia’s smallest state, Australian Capital
Territory. Wherever you find a wacky science experiment, the likelihood that
she’s responsible for it is very high! Iluka adores science and excels in it at
school. She loves everything about it; from chemistry to physics to geology to
even astronomy. Her strong point is engineering and mechanics. She is
constantly tinkering around in the garage with nuts, bolts, axles and whatever
else she can lay her hands on. She loves inventing machines and thinking up the
most bizarre contraptions possible. Being a scientist, however, does not stop
her from donning a pretty and extravagant frock or outfit. She takes great
pride in her appearance and, just like Jasmine, prefers to set her own trends! When
Iluka grows up, she plans on becoming an inventor or engineer. The cogs in this
girl’s mind are always constantly spinning. What will she think up next?
Character
Seventeen: Zaidee Opal Gibbs (Arrived Christmas Day 2016)
Birthday: 14th of
June (age 13)
Location(s):
Coober Pedy, South Australia
Relatives: Non-applicable
Nicknames: Zaidz,
Gibbsy
About: Zaidee is
a very friendly and imaginative young girl! Zaidee’s imagination is just as
broad and wide as the desert town she lives in. She loves stories and poetry,
and she loves to make up her own tales to share with her friends and family.
She also loves to explore, and you will quite often find her with a spade and
bucket in hand. Like the adults in her hometown of Coober Pedy, she hopes to
one day come across the precious stone buried in the rock formations; opal, of
course! Her hometown’s love of opals has inspired her to fancy an interest in
geology and even archaeology. Zaidee is very much fascinated by the various
gemstones of Australia, and life below the ground. After all: her family lives
in an underground home! When Zaidee grows up, she hopes to become an
archaeologist or geologist; or perhaps even open her own bookshop, so that she
can share her love of stories with others. The land’s the limit for Zaidee!
Character
Eighteen: Norah Janelle Jansons (Arrived April 2017)
Birthday: 19th
of May (age 14)
Location: Thursday
Island, Queensland
Relatives: Yani
(step-cousin)
Nicknames: Norrie,
Nozza
About: Norah is a
Torres Strait Islander girl who always follows her tagai. She is a kind, clever
and energetic girl who is determined to be bold and brave. For as long as Norah
can remember, she has loved music. To her, there is something empowering about it
– and its ability to transcend all cultures and even languages! She has always
grown up with it. Music is very important to her Torres Strait culture. She
also loves to write about everything. She does seem to have a rhythmic way with
words! She loves to put her words to music, and place it online for everyone to
listen to. Norah also has a very minor setback. She has a stutter, which makes
her feel slightly apprehensive to talk to people she has never met before.
Fortunately, when she sings, her stutter seems to almost disappear. Not only
does music allow her to tell her story and her culture’s history to the wider
world, it also provides her a means of speech therapy! When Norah is older, she
would like to be a proper electronic or hip-hop artist – and also teach music
to other people living in the Torres Strait. As Norah often says, “Kaka nali
Kari ker kerem”!
Character
Nineteen: Penelope Claire Harada
Location: Darwin,
Northern Territory
Birthday: 12th
of July (age 13)
Relatives: Non-applicable
Nicknames: Penny,
Ranger Stacey
About: Penelope
is a fun-loving and spritely girl from Australia’ infamous Top End! Penelope is
of Japanese ancestry, and is proud to be both Japanese and Australian. Penelope
is a quiet, yet enthusiastic girl who makes friends easily wherever she goes.
Her best friends, however, tend to be four legged, covered in feathers and
scales, or even furry! Penny has a passion for animals, and yearns to protect
and help them. If someone were to step into Penelope’s home, they would be
inundated with all sorts of creatures; such as dogs, guinea pigs, birds and
even frogs! Penny seems to have a way with animals, and she understands them.
Animals are her true best friends in her life. She is lucky to live in
Australia; after all, Australia is home to many unique and wonderful creatures!
She also loves to go into Darwin City with her parents and her twin brother for
memorable family outings. When Penelope grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian,
so that she can provide aid and love for all sorts of creatures.
Character Twenty:
Austral Leanne Chifley
Location: Sofala, New South Wales
Birthday: 13th
of April (age 13)
Relatives: Non-applicable
Nicknames: Aussie,
Oz, Henrietta
About: Anyone who
has ever met Austral can confirm that she is quite the little character! Aussie
is just as true-blue as her name suggests, and she would be totally lost
without her fascination for history and her wild imagination! Without it, she
would easily become bored. Having no kids her own age around to play with, she
has devised many unconventional ways of keeping herself entertained. She spends
a lot of time bushwalking, and – to the horror of her grandparents – being
Sofala’s unofficial “tour guide”! She loves to play her made up game “Spot the
Tourist”, and she prides herself in touring any interested visitors around her
little gold rush town. You will frequently find her flying her kite in the
grounds of Hargraves Street cemetery, and helping her grandma pick the
delicious fresh produce grown on their acreage. When Aussie grows up, she does
not know quite what she wants to be. Maybe an historian! A tour guide! Or
something else entirely! Right now, she just wants to have fun being a young
girl; whose possibilities are as endless as the nurse and tutor of eccentric
minds – the grand Australian bush.
Character
Twenty-One: Karmein Vicki Wu
Birthday: 5th
of November (age 13)
Location: Cygnet,
Tasmania
Relatives: Non-applicable
Nicknames: Karrie,
About: Have you
ever walked into a kitchen and smelt something so sweet, that it immediately
makes you crave a treat? Chances are, Karmein is responsible for this! Karmein
is a determined and strong-willed girl from the Tasmanian Huon Valley town of
Cygnet, who is most comfortable with a mixing bowl and whisk in hand. Growing
up with both French and Chinese parents, she has been exposed to a wide variety
of food, and developed a very sophisticated taste from the moment she could eat
solids. She has been helping out in the kitchen for as long as she can
remember, and she has just about tried every cafe and market stall in Cygnet.
You will even find her selling her pastries at the local weekly markets! In her
spare time, she and her friends are training for the bi-annual bicycle race; Le
Tour at Cygnet, and helping deliver gourmet lunches to their granddads and
neighbours down at the boating sheds. When Karrie grows up, she would love to
be a famous chef, just like her role models; Poh Ling Yeow and Maggie Beer!
Character Twenty-Two: Zienna Quanne Nguyen
Birthday: 23rd
of February
Location: Ferntree
Gully, Victoria
Relatives: Jasmine
(older cousin)
Nicknames: Zee, Shutterbug
About: If anyone
were to capture the very best qualities out of everyone, Zienna is bound to do
it! Zienna is a lively and extravagant South Korean girl from the leafy town of
Ferntree Gully. Whenever you see Zienna walking around town, her camera is
nearly always in tow. She loves to document her life through photos and videos.
Capturing the little moments, to Zienna, is very important. It helps to create
an even bigger picture! When she is not scootering over the Dandenong Ranges,
or teaching her grandparents English, or at school, she is editing photos and
videos. Sometimes, she even films the amazing tricks that she does on her scooter!
She places her photos and videos on multiple social media platforms – and she
has created a small following. Her dad often calls her “Shutterbug” – she
struggles to put down her camera even just for a minute! However, Zee knows
that the most memorable moments are those spent away from the lens; with her
friends and family. When Zienna grows up, she would love to capture other people’s
special moments, as a professional photographer or film maker!
Character Twenty-Three
- Lanie Denise Fischer
Birthday: 5th
of December
Location: Tom
Price, Western Australia
Relatives: Non-applicable
Nicknames: Lains,
Ding-Dong
About: Lanie is a
very imaginative and vivacious girl; who is full of energy and is always ready
to shine! Living on the outskirts of a rural city, she is always left to her
own devices. Lanie can create anything out of nothing, and is very resourceful
and clever. She also has dramatic flair, and a wicked sense of humour too. It
is the vaudeville and sideshow life that she is attracted to the most. She
loves dressing up in outrageous costumes and coming up with the weirdest and
wackiest performances that leave her family and friends spellbound! She is a natural
born performer, and she is never afraid to let her true colours shine – no
matter what anyone says about her. She is always the first person to welcome
someone to town, and the first to turn up on someone’s doorstep when they need
a friend. That is how she got her nickname; “Ding-Dong”! When she is not at
school, she helps her dad run their family motel. When Lanie grows up, she is
destined to be a professional performer; whether it is in comedy, in the
theatre or even bringing that extra spark to the office! Or perhaps she will
work in palliative and hospice care – something very close to her heart.
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