Round the Twist The Musical Resource - About Round the Twist The Musical Resource

We acknowledge and respect the Traditional Owners of lands across Australia, their Elders, Ancestors, cultures and heritage, and recognise the continuing sovereignties of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations.

We respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which the ACTF is based and pay our respect to their Elders past and present.

We are honoured to have the opportunity to learn from the oldest cultural storytellers in the world and seek to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners to share their rich culture and perspectives with children in Australia and around the world via stories on screen.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or text.

The Australian children’s television series Round the Twist was set in the fictional Victorian coastal town of Port Niranda. It follows Tony Twist and his three children as they move into an old lighthouse, soon discovering that their new home and its surrounds are haunted. Each episode sees the Twist children – thirteen-year-old twins Pete and Linda, and nine-year-old Bronson – involved in surreal adventures.

The first series of Round the Twist was based on novels written by Paul Jennings, including Unreal!, Quirky Tales, Unbelievable!, Cabbage Patch Fib and Uncanny! Paul Jennings was also the scriptwriter for series 1 and 2 of Round the Twist. Episodes from series 1 and 2 were later adapted for the stage in Round the Twist The Musical.

This resource includes 10 learning tasks centred on the various adaptations of these beloved stories and characters. Tasks can be delivered consecutively as a learning sequence or as standalone lessons.

Developed to support the launch of Round the Twist The Musical, this resource integrates elements of literacy, media literacy and arts appreciation, allowing students to explore the complexities of adaptation and intertextuality through a familiar Australian literary and television series.