Bluey and Bingo invite the world to play at their new Brisbane home

Bluey and little sister Bingo – part of the world’s best-known television family – will have a new life-size house and backyard at Brisbane’s Hamilton Northshore, where the entire world will be invited to play.

It is hoped that Bluey’s World, a 4000-square-metre interactive venue at Riverside Hamilton Northshore from August 2024, will attract $18 million from international and interstate tourists and their young children.

Bluey and sister Bingo pose with children at Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves, where Bluey’s World was announced on Sunday.Credit: Tony Moore

The multimillion-dollar initiative – backed by Queensland Tourism and the BBC – was announced in Brisbane on Sunday by Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Andrew Kay, producer of HVK Productions.

Bluey is an animated six-year-old blue heeler who lives in Brisbane with Bingo and their parents.

“The world-famous Brisbane-based Heeler family has taken global TV and streaming by storm, with many embedded animated references in the show to the Queensland capital’s landmarks and lifestyle,” Hinchliffe said.

“Bluey’s World is where Australian and overseas families can connect with their favourite heeler family and explore Queensland’s world-class visitor experiences.”

The tourist attraction will have life-size rooms inside a house, including Bluey and Bingo’s bedroom, the kitchen and living room. There will also be a big poinciana tree in the backyard.

“But this is about getting visitors to get out and about and enjoy actual Bluey’s world in Brisbane,” Hinchliffe said.

“Wander through a tin and timber neighbourhood to go to South Bank, go and see the delights you can enjoy on the Noosa River.

“This is a great opportunity to take our story to the world another way, through another set of key visitors to Queensland.”

The television series, which premiered in 2018 and is now seen in 60 countries, was created in Brisbane by animator Joe Brumm.

Bluey and Bingo will have a new interactive home at Hamilton Northshore from August 2024.Credit: Wynnum Fringe

It was signed to Disney in 2019 and is produced in the Queensland capital by Ludo Studio for ABC Kids and BBC Studios.

Bluey’s World co-producer Kay, who grew up in Hamilton but now lives in Melbourne, said the tourist attraction would have a “touch of theatre”.

He said the life-size interactive display, housed in two large pavilions, will have 4000 square metres of displays “that I would call magical”.

HVK Studios is touring similar ventures. On Monday, the stage production Bluey’s Big Play will begin a 103-week tour of the United States and a 40-week tour of the United Kingdom.

“It will sell around 1.4 million tickets to Bluey’s North American tour,” Kay said.

HVK Studios produced both Van Gogh Alive and Monet in Paris at Hamilton Northshore over the past two years.

“To put this in perspective, Bluey’s World is twice the size of both those experiences,” Kay said.

The success of Bluey’s Big Play was the impetus behind launching Bluey’s World in Brisbane, Kay said.

“While it may be a global sensation, at its heart, Bluey belongs to Brisbane,” he said.

“We bought Bluey to the world, so now we are going to bring the world to Bluey.”