Under the sea with Play School's Abi Tucker

Families are invited to dive into a fun-filled underwater adventure these school holidays, with a familiar face from Australian television bringing a free puppet show and workshop to the Parkes Shire. Parkes Shire Council is excited to welcome Abi Tucker, best known for her appearances on ABC’s Play School and roles in much-loved Australian dramas including McLeod’s Daughters, Heartbreak High and The Secret Life of Us. Abi will bring her entertaining puppet show The Mermaid’s Recycled Tail to Parkes, Peak Hill and Trundle these September school holidays. Designed for families, preschool-aged children and up, the musical show combines puppets, songs, storytelling and plenty of laughs to introduce children to recycling and sustainability in a fun and engaging way. Children will meet Hester, an environmentally conscious puppet who loves turning recycled materials into creative treasures. Along the way, they’ll meet a colourful cast of recycled puppets - including a Trash puppet, Compost Monster and even a Fatberg - before heading under the sea to meet Arty Octopus. When Hester discovers the impact rubbish can have on our waterways and oceans, she and Arty set off on a big clean-up adventure, showing young audiences that small actions can make a big difference to our environment. Cultural, education and library services manager Kerryn Jones said the free school holiday program is a great opportunity for families to enjoy a quality performance while learning about an important environmental message. “We’re really excited to bring Abi Tucker and The Mermaid’s Recycled Tail to the Parkes Shire these school holidays," she said. “It’s a wonderful show for young children because it combines music, puppetry, creativity and humour with a positive message about recycling and caring for our environment. “And with the performances free, we hope families across the shire will take the opportunity to book-in, bring the kids along and enjoy a fun morning or afternoon together.” Free shows across the Parkes Shire are: Parkes on Monday 28 September at 11am at Cooke Park Pavilion. Peak Hill on Tuesday 29 September at 11am at Peak Hill Library. Trundle on Tuesday 29 September at 3pm at Trundle Library. Abi will also host a special workshop for kindergarten to Year 6 students at the Parkes Marramarra Makerspace on 28 September from 2.30pm–3.30pm. Places are limited and bookings are essential for both the shows and workshop. Book your free tickets now via Humanitix. Come along, meet Hester and her underwater friends, and discover how recycling can be creative, fun and good for our oceans!