Helping kids understand the wonder of the bush
AN IDYLIC childhood growing up on a farm is what inspired popular children's performer Cilla Slack.
Cilla is the brains behind the Blue Gum Farm TV, an entertainment hub offering on-the-go entertainment for children.
Based on a real life Gayndah farm, the educational program is for children from six months to six years and is available online and on DVD.
From milking the cows, collecting eggs from the chook house or picking avocados and citrus in the orchard, the program shows the process of preparing fresh food straight from its source.
Children are immersed in toe-tapping songs, wonderful music and cute farm animals.
Cilla was one of four children who was home-educated on the family farm, Blue Gum Gully.
As a child she spent her days horse riding and building cubby houses.
When she was 19, she left the country to pursue a career in singing and acting.
But the fresh air and countryside drew her back to the bush.
Returning home with 10 years experience, Cilla wanted to celebrate the Australian bush and teach children about food and rural industries.
"In 2013 I was working as a corporate singer in Sydney and became very home sick,” she said.
"I was riding a crowded bus into the Sydney CBD when I had a daydream about how I could show people in the city how beautiful life in the Australian bush can be.
"The animals, the fresh food, the fresh air and the people, full of character. From there it snowballed very quickly.”
In 2015 the first series of Blue Gum Farm TV was released and it proved to be popular enough to warrant another.
"Children's song I write are inspired by cute and quirky things that the kids I know do or day,” Cilla said.
"So it was only fitting when it came to filming those songs I wanted to have the kids singing and dancing along with me.”
Cilla also likes to include iconic elements of our region when filming.
"We did a lot of filming in different locations around the North Burnett, one in Coalstoun Lakes, featuring some beautiful peanuts,” she said.
For more information or to view both of the series, go to ww.bluegum farmtv.com.au.
