If you grew up in the nineties, you probably have a core memory involving a giant lighthouse, a synth-heavy theme song, and a kid turning into a mermaid because of a magical belt. Or maybe it was the one with the remote control that could pause reality. Actually, it was probably the episode with the "Smelly Feet" competition.
Round the Twist wasn't just another kids' show. It was a cultural earthquake that rattled the brains of children across Australia, the UK, and beyond. It felt dangerous. It felt weird. Most importantly, it felt like it was made by people who actually remembered what it was like to be a kid—gross, confusing, and occasionally terrifying.
Paul Jennings, the author whose short stories formed the backbone of the series, had this uncanny knack for "gross-out" humor that never felt cheap. It was grounded in the messy reality of puberty and family dynamics. While American sitcoms of the era were busy teaching us "very important lessons" about staying away from drugs, the Twist family was busy dealing with ghosts in the dunny or a scarecrow that came to life to play football.
The Lighthouse, The Lore, and The Logistics
The show centers on the Twist family: Tony, the widowed artist dad, and his three kids, Pete, Linda, and Bronson. They move into a lighthouse in the fictional coastal town of Port Niranda. Right from the jump, the show establishes that this isn't a normal house. It’s haunted. But the hauntings aren't exactly The Conjuring. They are surreal, bureaucratic, and often hilarious.
One of the strangest things about the production was the cast turnover. Because the show had such massive gaps between seasons—we are talking years here—they had to replace the entire cast of kids multiple times. There were three different Petes, three Lindas, and three Bronsons.
You’d think that would ruin the immersion. Strangely, it didn't.
Maybe it’s because the world of Port Niranda was so vivid that the actors were secondary to the atmosphere. Or maybe kids just didn't care back then. We were there for the spectacle. We wanted to see what bizarre curse would befall the Gribble family next. Speaking of the Gribbles, they were the perfect antagonists. Gribble Senior was the quintessential slimy real estate developer, a trope that feels even more relevant in 2026 than it did in 1989.
Why the Gross-Out Factor Actually Worked
There is a specific episode of Round the Twist that everyone mentions first. You know the one. "Whirling Derivish." It’s the one where a magic liquid makes things spin, leading to a... let’s call it a high-speed urination contest.
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It sounds crude. On paper, it is. But Jennings and the producers at the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) understood something vital: kids find the functions of their own bodies fascinating and hilarious. By leaning into the "yuck" factor, the show created a sense of rebellion. It felt like something our parents shouldn't be letting us watch, even though it was rated for children.
This wasn't mindless filth, though. The stories usually had a moral irony to them. If you were greedy, the magic item you found would backfire in the most embarrassing way possible. It was Aesop’s Fables if Aesop had a preoccupation with bodily fluids and hauntings.
The Genius of the Theme Song
"Have you ever... ever felt like this?"
If you can read those words without hearing the bassline, you didn't watch the show. Tamsin West, who played the original Linda Twist, sang the theme. It is arguably one of the most iconic pieces of television music in history.
The lyrics perfectly encapsulate the show's ethos: "Strange things happen / When you're going round the twist." It prepared the audience for the logic-defying twenty minutes that followed. It was a warning and an invitation.
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Breaking the Fourth Wall Before It Was Cool
While contemporary shows were stuck in multi-camera setups with laugh tracks, Round the Twist used cinematic techniques that were way ahead of its time. Handheld shots, weird angles, and direct addresses to the camera made the audience feel like co-conspirators.
The show also didn't shy away from genuine emotion. Underneath the stories about skeleton circuses and cloning machines, there was a real heart. Tony Twist was a single father trying his best. The kids dealt with rejection, the awkwardness of first crushes, and the looming shadow of their deceased mother. It gave the madness a foundation. Without that emotional weight, the show would have just been a collection of "wacky" sketches. Instead, it was a world you wanted to live in.
The Port Niranda Effect: Real Locations
Fans often wonder if the lighthouse is real. It is.
The Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet, Victoria, served as the exterior for the Twist home. Today, it’s a pilgrimage site for millennials. Standing there, looking out at the Southern Ocean, you can almost hear the ghost of an old sea captain or see a Viking ship appearing through the mist.
The town of Port Niranda itself was a blend of several Victorian coastal locations. This "realness" grounded the fantasy. When something magical happened in a place that looked like a standard, windy Australian beach town, it felt more impactful than if it had happened in a CGI wonderland. It suggested that magic was hiding just behind the mundane—under a rock, in an old shed, or inside a discarded seashell.
Why We Don't See Shows Like This Anymore
Broadcast standards have changed. Everything is a bit more sterilized now.
In the modern streaming era, content is often focus-grouped to death. There’s a fear of offending or being "too weird." Round the Twist thrived on being too weird. It was produced by the ACTF, which had a mandate to create high-quality, uniquely Australian content. They weren't trying to sell toys. They were trying to tell stories that reflected the Australian psyche—irreverent, skeptical of authority, and comfortable with a bit of dirt under the fingernails.
There’s also the "Jennings Factor." Paul Jennings' books were ubiquitous in school libraries. Every kid had read Unreal! or Uncanny!. The show was a perfect translation of his prose style. It was fast-paced and relied on a "sting in the tail" ending.
The Legacy of the Weird
You can see the DNA of Round the Twist in modern hits like Stranger Things or Gravity Falls. That mixture of "kids on an adventure" and "unexplained phenomena" is a timeless formula. But the Twist family did it with a distinctly low-budget, practical-effects charm that CGI just can't replicate.
When a character’s face stretched or someone grew a giant nose, it was done with prosthetics and clever camera tricks. There’s a texture to those early seasons that feels tactile. It feels human.
Actionable Takeaways for the Nostalgic
If you’re looking to revisit the series or introduce it to a new generation, here is how to navigate the Twist-verse:
- Start at the Beginning: While the later seasons (3 and 4) have their moments, the first two seasons are the gold standard. They feature the most iconic stories directly adapted from Jennings' best work.
- Look for the "Paul Jennings" Cameos: Like Stan Lee in Marvel movies, Jennings often popped up in small roles. It’s a fun Easter egg for eagle-eyed fans.
- Check the ACTF Archives: Many episodes are now available in remastered formats. The colors of the Victorian coast look better than they ever did on an old CRT television.
- Read the Source Material: If you haven't read the short stories in decades, go back to them. They hold up surprisingly well for adult readers, mostly because of how tight the plotting is.
The magic of Round the Twist wasn't just in the ghosts or the gadgets. It was in the idea that being "normal" is overrated. In a world that constantly tries to file down our edges, the Twist family celebrated the strange. They showed us that even if your life is literally being turned upside down by a supernatural force, as long as you have your family and a sense of humor, you'll probably be alright.
Just stay away from any mysterious liquids you find in the lighthouse basement. Honestly. It’s never worth it.
To dive deeper into the history of Australian television from this era, look into the production notes of the Australian Children's Television Foundation. Their archives provide a fascinating look at how they pushed boundaries in children's media during the late eighties and early nineties, often fighting against censorship to keep the show's "grosser" elements intact. Additionally, exploring the filmography of director Esben Storm reveals how much of the show's unique visual language was a deliberate stylistic choice to elevate it above standard sitcom fare.
Check out the official Split Point Lighthouse tours if you're ever in Victoria. Seeing the "Twist house" in person is the final step in completing the journey from a Saturday morning viewer to a certified fan of one of the weirdest shows to ever hit the airwaves.