Blinky Bill was a sassy koala hailing from Down Under—a rather redundant statement since koalas seldom come from, say, Iceland. Australian animator Yoram Gross adapted the story from a series of popular children’s books written in the 1940s by Dorothy Wall.

The premise centered around Greenpatch Town, an animal community destroyed by human encroachment, and its various denizens, including Blinky Bill. The koala’s friends were assorted Aussie fauna, like Nutsy and Ms. Koala—both of them koalas, if you couldn’t tell—Splodge the kangaroo, Flap the platypus, Danny Dingo (two guesses as to what sort of animal Danny was) and Wombo the wombat. The critters launched a rebuilding effort to restore their lost habitat but Blinky Bill yearned for adventure on the road so, clad in his trademark red overalls and carrying a bindle, he set out to explore the Outback.

Blinky Bill was an imaginative and kind little soul and the stories often taught lessons about teamwork and nature conservation. The animated series wasn’t the first of the Blinky Bill franchise: in the 1980s, Blinky Bill and friends appeared as puppets in a show along with live actors and an animated movie was produced in the early 90s.  Small, but loveable, the story of Blinky Bill wasn’t greatly renowned but its simple charm and valuable lessons continue to entertain and teach generations of kids, in Australia and beyond.