Generating new stories is becoming an uphill struggle. Brumm has two daughters, who were the age of Bluey and Bingo when the show was conceived, and formed the basis of the characters. But they are older now, and their day-to-day lives are getting further and further from Bluey’s. “It is getting harder to write, because a four and a six-year-old is so different to an eight-year-old,” he says. “It’s harder for me to see through their eyes. I feel like every time I start to understand a new phase, my kid’s already left it and is starting a new stage. I feel like, if I had a kid now, I could just sort that kid right out.” Is this his way of saying that he wants another kid? “No. Zero Chance!” Instead, as evidenced by the army of mums and dads who scour each episode for parenting tips, he will have to make do with sorting our kids out instead. Although Brumm credits everything from Community to South Park as inspirations for Bluey, his two biggest influences are British. Brumm lived in London for 10 years, animating preschool shows such as Charlie and Lola and Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, which gave him an idea to take home. “I really love Peppa Pig,” he says. “I loved how English it was, and I felt like I’d love to do a universal kids’ show that had an Australian feel.” And Bluey is a distinctly Australian show, from the setting to the language to the hiring of the son of Steve Irwin, the naturalist and TV presenter who died in 2006, as a guest star.

Obviously I wanted it to be rewatchable,” says Bluey’s creator Joe Brumm from his home in Queensland, with a mixture of pride and contrition. “But kids have really put it to the rewatching test.”

Next Day Delivery

Bluey’s secret weapon is Bandit, arguably the best screen dad of all time. Unlike, say, Peppa Pig’s Daddy Pig – a blundering, clueless, stereotype-enforcing fool – Bandit is playful and engaged and patient, no matter how tired and crotchety he gets. I ask the question all Bluey-watching parents have asked themselves at some point: is Bandit based on you? “Well, on an extremely, extremely good day, I would say I get close to Bandit,” Brumm defers. “But no.” Brace yourself for a weekend of family games and make-believe, because one family living in Australia will be able to book the exclusive two-night stay at the Heeler’s home. A third season of Bluey is in production, and looks set to elevate the show to even greater heights. Nevertheless, each new season sounds like an absolute production marathon. There are 52 episodes per season, and each episode takes five months to create. As such, Brumm’s day is split into tiny chunks, where he has to oversee a number of episodes in any of their 14 stages of production while simultaneously writing the bulk of the episodes.

There’s lots of familiar touches like the red letterbox, bone-shaped chimney, and bay window. Inside, Kiddos can snuggle up for sleepytime in Bluey and Bingo’s bedroom with Floppy and Grey Dancer; or invent a game or two in the girls’ playroom with its rainbow canopy, kiwi rug and toys – including beloved Polly Puppy and Chattermax. I ask Brumm whether the series is rooted in any formal worldview about parenting. “There’s no disclaimer saying these are endorsed tactics,” he says. “But I do read a lot about play. I really nerd out about play, and what that does for kids, and how that helps them socialise. If I’m proud of anything with Bluey, it’s the fact that I think it might teach adults a bit about how effective play is in a kid’s life.” On a leafy street in the heart of Brisbane, something magical has happened… the Heeler home from Bluey’s world has been recreated, for real life – and is now listed on Airbnb!