New MacDonald's Farm
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Children's television |
| Founded | April 12, 2004 |
| Defunct | June 1, 2007 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Children's television programming, VHS and DVD releases, music albums, books, live performances, merchandise |
New MacDonald's Farm is an Australian live action children's television series that aired on the Nine Network from 12 April 2004 until 1 June 2007. It shared broadcast slots with the popular program Hi-5 to allow for new season production. Additionally, the show was featured on Australia's Playhouse Disney channel.
Premise
The narrative takes place on a rural farm managed by Milly and Max, showcasing six animal characters: Henry the Horse, Daisy the Cow, Dash the Duck, Percy the Pig, Shirley the Sheep, and Charlotte the Hen. Aimed at preschool-aged viewers, each half-hour episode blends gentle storytelling with musical and dance performances presented by Max, Milly, and older children. Max serves as a humorous, lively farmhand who frequently encounters mishaps, whereas Milly is portrayed as clever and resourceful, often solving challenges. The program's title pays homage to the well-known children's tune Old McDonald Had a Farm.
Production
Conceived by Simon Hopkinson, the series was developed alongside Ron Saunders—recognized for his work on Spellbinder and Johnson and Friends—and director Ian Munro, who has credits including Hi-5 and Bananas in Pyjamas. Ian James Colmer, responsible for animatronic design and puppeteering as well as voicing Charlotte the Hen, went on to establish Destiny Pictures.
The farm's branding prominently features a unique logo displaying a yellow sun with the show's title in yellow, blue, and orange hues. A recurring comedic element involves Max attempting to repair a sign that frequently falls. Each episode begins with an opening sequence followed by a "Song of the Day" segment.
The characters Max and Milly are brought to life by actors Tim Mager, Nikki Payten, Heidi Luchterhand, and John Tobias wearing large-scale foam and fabric costumes equipped with animatronic heads. These heads incorporate servo motors enabling eye blinking, head movements, and mouth synchronization with pre-recorded audio tracks. The animal puppets allow limited cable-operated motions and occasionally require manual adjustments.
Performers face considerable heat inside their costumes but mitigate this by wearing gel-based cooling vests that gradually warm during use. After the initial season, Colmer redesigned the animatronics to feature heads crafted from lightweight aluminium, making them stronger yet reducing their weight by approximately one kilogram. For the third season, Dan Carlisle further refined these head units to enhance durability, reduce weight, minimize maintenance needs, and expand their range of motion.
Series overview
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Recipient(s) | Category | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APRA Screen Music Awards | 2004 | Jay Somerville-Collie | Best Music for Children's Television | Template:Nom | |
| Barbara Griffin and Latu Harper (for "EE II EE II OO (New MacDonald's Farm Theme)") | Best Television Theme | Template:Nom |
VHS and DVD Distributions
Roadshow Entertainment released the series on both VHS and DVD, featuring collections such as:
- Farmyard Party Time (2004)
- Fantastic Farmers (2005)
- Fun in the Country (2005)
- Play with the Animals (2005)
- A Farmer's Work is Never Done (2005)
- Barnyard Boogie (2006)
- Max's Tractor (2006)
- Max and Milly's Country Show (2007)
- Animals to the Rescue (2007)
- I Can Fix Anything (2007)
- Farmyard Friends (2008)
Additional Media
New MacDonald's Farm extended its reach through two album releases in 2004 and 2006, accompanied by numerous books, live performances, and related merchandise.
The music for the series is produced by Jay Somerville-Collie, associated with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, who also brings expertise from his involvement with the country/rock/pop group Jonah's Road.