This week, we sit down with Around the World with Dot — the animated adventure that whisked an Australian bush child across continents in a strange blend of live-action backdrops, talking animals, and Cold War-era messaging.

From the peculiar pacing to the international diplomacy-through-cartoon logic, we explore how this film tried to reimagine Dot’s bushland origins on a global stage — and how the hybrid animation style both charmed and bewildered audiences. Was it a heartfelt plea for unity, an ambitious creative experiment, or a fever dream that only Australian children’s cinema could produce? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out.

But really? We mostly talk about our Christmases.

So cue up the film, settle in, and watch along as we dissect, laugh, and marvel at one of the more unusual entries in Australia's animation history.

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