Building out its 2026 lineup, ABC Australia has greenlit two new kids series from domestic producers that also have backing from Screen Australia and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. 

Media World Pictures (The Strange Chores) is working on Happy House (26 x 11 minutes), a 2D-animated comedy about a group of internet-famous teen animals who live and create digital content together while navigating teen life—both online and offline. Writers Alix Beane (Netflix’s Surviving Summer) and Marisa Nathar (Nickelodeon’s Rock Island Mysteries) co-created the series concept and are its writers. And 12field Animation (The Strange Chores, Little J & Big Cuz) is doing the animation work. 

Live-actioner Caper Crew (10 x 30 minutes) is the first kids series from Easy Tiger Productions, which has traditionally focused on making live-action comedy and drama series for adults. This fun crime story revolves around two kids whose boring lives are upended when their grifter grandmother teaches them the fine art of the con and inspires them to hunt for a priceless treasure. Matthew Whittet (Netflix’s Heartbreak High) and Amy Stewart (ABC’s Beep and Mort) are among the show’s writers. 

The Caper Crew cast in pre-production (Isabella Zhang, Caitlin Neimotko, Luka Sero and Tevita Hau), photo by Lisa Tomasetti

The Australian Children’s Television Foundation is distributing both series, which have received financing from Screen Australia. State orgs VicScreen (Happy House) and Screen NSW (Caper Crew) are also supporting their respective local productions.