Mr Squiggle and Friends: The Creative World of Norman Hetherington

In 1959 Mr Squiggle first made the long journey from 93 Crater Crescent, the Moon, to our television sets. Brought to life by Norman Hetherington, Mr Squiggle – along with his close friends Rocket, Blackboard, Bill Steamshovel and Gus the Snail – sparked children’s imagination and creativity for more than four decades. The shy puppet with a pencil for a nose was the star of the ABC-TV show that beamed into homes across Australia. Each episode, Mr Squiggle would use his nose to turn seemingly random lines into a whimsical drawing that was often “Upside down”. With Blackboard impatiently urging Mr Squiggle to “Hur-ry up!”, Gus the Snail telling knock-knock jokes and Bill Steamshovel’s smoke-blowing laugh, the show was a joyful mix of humour and surprise.

Once again Mr Squiggle, the Man from the Moon, has returned to Earth in a new exhibition. Drawn from the recently acquired Norman Hetherington collection, Mr Squiggle and Friends features an array of objects that showcase Norman’s playful vision, including puppets, artworks, scripts and stage props. Visitors will journey through Norman’s artistic career – from the 16-year-old boy with a talent for drawing cartoons to the wartime entertainer turned puppeteer who created one of Australia’s most enduring television characters. The exhibition engages audiences of all ages with a mix of nostalgia and hands-on exploration. Whether reconnecting with Norman’s creative world or discovering it for the first time, visitors will delight in the hand-crafted puppets, share in the magic of the original television show and try their hand at turning a simple squiggle into a finished drawing through a digital interactive. Mr Squiggle is ready to visit you soon. And just as Miss Pat, Miss Jane and Rebecca did with Mr Squiggle, staff from the National Museum of Australia will hold your hand on this magical journey into the creative world of Norman Hetherington.