Secret Valley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Secret Valley |
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Created by | Terry Bourke Roger Mirams |
Starring | Alfred Bell Rodney Bell Marcia Britos |
Opening theme | My Secret Valley |
Country of origin | Australia |
No. of episodes | 26 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Roger Mirams |
Running time | 30 mins |
Production company(s) | Grundy Organisation Telecip, S.A. Televisión Española |
Release | |
Original network | ABC |
Original release | 1980 |
Secret Valley is an Australian children's television adventure series first shown on the ABC in 1980. It was produced by the Grundy Organisation in association with Telecip, S.A. and Spain's public broadcaster Televisión Española.
Series synopsis
Secret Valley is a fictitious children's holiday camp in Bildarra which has been transformed from a run-down ghost town into a resort. The children who work and visit the camp often find themselves in battle against a gang of bad kids – Spider McGlurk and his gang from "Spider Cave". These battles usually feature flour bombs and other food-related missiles and everyone inevitably ends up in a big mess.
Spider McGlurk and his gang are not the biggest threat to the peace at Secret Valley. Secret Valley is also under threat of closure by the local council, and property developer William Whopper (also known as 'WW') played by Hugh Keays-Byrne.
It was produced by Roger Mirams who also produced the series Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin in 1986, amongst other programs and series.
The 1980 pilot was directed by Howard Rubie and written by Terry Bourke.
International screenings
The series was aired in New Zealand, Spain, Greece, Italy, the UK on ITV in the 1980s, and the Netherlands in 1982/1983 by KRO television. It was also broadcast by the Dutch TV station Kindernet in 1989/1990. It was also aired in South Africa in 1983 on the state-owned SABC.
The theme song
The theme song "My Secret Valley" was sung to the tune of "Waltzing Matilda" and composed by Bob Young, with lyrics by series producer Roger Mirams (credited as David Phillips).
I had a dream I could ride across the mountaintops
Ride on the waves where the sea turns blue
Gum trees, some trees rise until they touch the sky
I know a place where it all comes true
Chorus:
I know a valley, I know a valley
My Secret Valley the world has to see
One place for children, welcome from around the world
Please come and share Secret Valley with me
Verse
Paris, London, Montreal and Amsterdam
So many friends that we want to know
From the hills of Spain to the city streets of Germany
I know a place where we all can go
Repeat chorus
Episodes
1. Big plans
2. Secret weapon
3. Battle stations
4. The horse who could dance
5. The junkman
6. The ghost of Secret Valley
7. Save the bunyip
8. The monster
9. The magnetic machine
10. The runaway
11. Double trouble
12. The great mini bike race
13. Spanish gold
14. I spy
15. Secret Valley Bush Fire
16. Super scoop
17. Spider McGlurk Meets His Match
18. The Trojan Bull
19. A sticky situation
20. The worm turns
21. Lost in the bush
22. Express delivery
23. The Bildara Bank Bust
24. The oily bird catches the worm
25. Big city
26. End of the rainbow
See also
In Spanish: El valle secreto para niños