The popular children's series Bluey has made history by translating several of its episodes into an Australian Indigenous language for the first time, a move its producer described as a "natural step".
Five episodes from the show's first two seasons were dubbed into Yolnu Matha, the language of the First Nations people of north-east Arnhem Land.
This initiative coincided with National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (Naidoc) Week, marking a significant cultural milestone for the beloved Australian programme about a family of heeler dogs.
Award-winning producer Sam Moor lauded the "amazing" public reaction to the translated episodes, expressing the team's eagerness to undertake more such projects in the future.
“Ludo is about telling Australian stories for the world, so I just think it felt like a natural step for us to make one of the most popular shows in the world into an Australian language,” Moor said, referring to the company which produces Bluey.
She added: “I don’t think it’s anything more than that really. It’s just an extension of that.”
Moor explained that the idea of translating Bluey into an Indigenous language “came about right from early days” around its launch in 2018, and the creative team “were on board right from the start”.
She said: “It was a long road. It took us a long time to get it to come to fruition, but (the network) ABC were really big supporters of making it happen.”
When asked about the choices behind diversifying the show, Moor said: “It’s just about serving the audience – it’s about making every child seen and heard. Making that connection.
“I think that’s what Bluey does really well. It makes every family feel seen.”
She also explained the hit show has “never been a show about making a point about anything political”, and said: “Bluey’s never been a show about something. There’s never tried to be a message in Bluey.
“It’s not that kind of show. It’s meant to be – and it is – very relatable.”
Moor noted that the show has an “amazing platform” for showcasing diversity, and said: “Where those opportunities arise that are a very natural fit for the show, then yes, we will take them.
“I think as an Australian company, we feel it’s not a duty, but it’s something we just want to do.”
The project was developed with Yolnu Radio and the Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (Ards), in collaboration with Bluey creators Ludo Studio and the ABC.
Asked about plans for further Indigenous language translations in the future, Moor told PA: “We’re very keen to do Brisbane, because that’s where the show is made.
“We are talking with several more groups now – but it’s not a quick process to do. We are hoping to do more, but there’s so many different languages.
“It’d be hard to do them all.”
Recounting a video of Indigenous children reacting to the newly translated episodes, Moor said: “I had tears pricking my eyes when I saw that, because I just thought, ‘oh wow’.
“It is just this group of kids that feel like they’ve been seen. It’s really amazing.”
Bluey is available in more than 140 countries and in over 20 different language translations, and was the most-watched series globally on Disney+ in 2025, according to the Walt Disney Company.
The show has also garnered numerous awards, including a 2024 Peabody Award and back-to-back Television Critics Association Awards in 2023 and 2024.
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