Decades before Bluey, an ambitious cartoon series featured Australian accents and humour, with an Aboriginal character front and centre — but Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers almost didn't get made.

Whether or not you’re familiar with Lift Off!, there’s one face – or lack thereof – that most Australian children of the nineties will recognise. In this article, we explain the philosophy behind EC and debunk the myth that children were terrified of the gentle puppet, who was beloved by the children of Lift Off! both on and off screen. 

It’s been 30 years since Lift Off! first aired, but three decades on it remains one of Australia’s most iconic children’s programs. In this article, we look back at what made this series so successful at the time, and why it still holds a special place in the hearts and memories of those who grew up watching it.

As part of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation’s 40 year anniversary celebrations, we’re looking back and shining a spotlight on 12 of our most iconic programs. In this article, we look back at the ACTF’s first major production, Winners.

Morris Gleitzman is one of Australia’s bestselling children’s authors. But before he was a novelist, Morris was a screenwriter who created one of the telemovies which was part of the ACTF's first major project, the anthology series, Winners.