My Place
My Place is a rich source of entertainment and education. It is one of the ultimate pieces of episodic literature and now it is on television, involving more than a century of time, lots of kids, and a tree to provide continuity.
My Place - Series 1 adapts the book, written by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins, into 13 episodes about 13 children who live in the same house over 130 years (2008-1888). Their special place is the fig tree that represents a place of belonging.
In episode 1 (2008), we meet Laura, an Indigenous girl, who through inadvertent misadventure needs to apologise to Michaelis, the landlord. Her reluctance to make this apology is paralleled by the Apology made by Kevin Rudd to the Indigenous people of Australia. The series mirrors the stories of the book but also introduces two new characters; 1988 - Lily, a Vietnamese girl whose parents were boat people and 1998 - Mohammed, an Islamic boy who is celebrating Ramadan while trying out for the local cricket team.
My Place features an extensive cast of acclaimed Australian actors, including Susie Porter, Dan Wiley and Australian screen legend Chris Haywood. The series also features 13 lead roles, and numerous supporting roles, by some of Australia’s best young talent.
The television series My Place is produced by Penny Chapman of NSW based Chapman Pictures, with the support of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF), New South Wales Film and Television Office (NSW FTO) and Screen Australia.
Episodes
Awards
ATOM Award 2012
Winner - Best Children's Fiction Television Program
Australian Writiers Guild Award (AWGIE) 2011
Winner - Best Children's Television Script, Minna (1868)
KidScreen Awards 2012
Winner - Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series
AACTA Awards 2012
Winner - Best Children's Television Series
KidScreen Awards – Feb 2011
Winner - Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series
TV Week Logie Awards 2010
Winner of Most Outstanding Children’s Program
Banff World Television Awards 2010
Nominated for (Rockie) Award in the Children Family and Youth Category - (Ep 11) - Finalist.
ATOM Awards October 2010
Winner – Best Children’s Television Production
AFI Awards December 2010
Winner – Best Children’s Television Drama Series.
ACTF Education
Celebrate Book Week with our range of author and creator video interviews and page to screen resources.
The value of adaptations in the classroom
Studying book-to-screen adaptations offers students a rich opportunity to explore storytelling across different media. It encourages critical thinking as students compare how characters, themes and settings are interpreted and transformed for screen.
Students develop media literacy by examining creative choices in casting, cinematography and scriptwriting while also reflecting on how these choices shape meaning and audience engagement. Adaptations also make literature more accessible and engaging for diverse learners, offering visual and emotional context that can deepen comprehension and spark interest in reading the original text.
The reimagined My Place resource honours everything educators have long valued from the My Place for Teachers website while offering an enriched, more flexible way to bring Australian stories into the classroom. Building on the trusted foundation of the original, the reimagined My Place resource invites students to explore Australian history, identity and place through story, weaving together rich screen content with inquiry-based learning to spark curiosity, deep thinking and meaningful connection. Designed for Years 3 - 6 and aligned with the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0, it supports teachers to confidently meet contemporary learning priorities while maintaining the integrity and spirit of the series they know so well. Carefully designed for classroom use, it provides clear pathways, adaptable learning sequences and engaging prompts that encourage students to question, reflect and create. The resource deepens intercultural understanding, foregrounds First Nations perspectives and helps young people see themselves as part of an ongoing national story. With improved usability, contemporary curriculum links and thoughtfully curated content, this refreshed resource keeps what teachers love at its core while opening new possibilities for creativity, collaboration and purposeful learning.
Join ACTF Education and My Place Resource curriculum writer Maree Whiteley for a three-part professional learning series exploring the reimagined My Place Education Resource.