Aussie toy sells out in 47 mins, turns $200 into $200k

A palm-sized kangaroo with a tradie’s toolbox and a whole lot of Aussie charm has taken the toy world by storm, selling out in just 47 minutes and saving a NSW-born business from near ruin.

The Kangaroo Tradie, Dazza with his toolbox which sold out in 47 minutes.

A palm-sized kangaroo with a tradie’s toolbox and a whole lot of Aussie charm has taken the toy world by storm, selling out in just 47 minutes.

NSW-based online kids’ retailer Rugabub recently launched its Rugaroo doll collection and it’s now-famous kangaroo characters sparked a frenzy from collectors, parents and gift-givers across the globe.

The craze took off so quickly the meticulously crafted tiny toolbox accessory which accompanies kangaroo character ‘The Tradie’ sold out in just 47 minutes upon release.

It’s been a boon for the Bondi-based company which was down to its last $200 when the launch spurred a $200,000 windfall in the blink of an eye.

Dazza is one of six characters introduced.

Rugabub is known for it’s foam padded, eco-friendly, non-toxic baby play mats which launched in December 2020.

The high-quality rugs are designed with one side for decor and the other for play and include ocean and road themes.

Nearly 50,000 have been sold.

But the success of its expansion into the kids doll market came as an unexpected surprise with staggering demand, selling nearly a thousand to customers across Australia, the US, UK and Canada.

Meet Joey, the Kangaroo Postie. Joey isn't your ordinary kangaroo; he's the fastest mail-hopper in the Outback.

But the journey wasn’t without hurdles, with Rugabub founder and chief executive Dana Weil revealing she was down to the last $200 in her account, which grew to $200,000 just a few weeks later.

Ms Weil had the idea for the dolls when she rescued a joey found in the pouch of a deceased wallaby while she was living in the Northern Territory during her husband’s posting as a helicopter pilot.

It was an experience that sparked her love for Australia’s wildlife and deepened her understanding and connection with nature.

Rugabub founder Dana Weil with Ginger, a cheeky little joey, she rescued in Northern Territory.

“We wanted to create something that reflected the Aussie spirit. There are so many toy brands around the world, but none really captured Australia in a way that was authentic and playful,” Ms Weil said.

“So we took iconic animals — kangaroos, koalas, and soon echidnas and platypuses — and gave them distinct personalities and stories.”

Rugaroo dolls were originally set to launch in December 2023, but a major setback struck when a manufacturer disappeared with $120,000 worth of faulty stock.

Rugabub have small accessories like miniature Kapi Cups.

Ms Weil had to rebuild the entire business from scratch, delaying the launch by a full year.

It wasn’t until two weeks before Christmas 2024 that the first range finally hit the shelves.

By launch, Ms Weil and her family had just $200 left in their account.

So far, a mob of six characters has been released, out of a planned 30 which are still in the works.

The characters – ‘the Bae’ wearing a stylish white dress representing freedom, ‘the Postie’ representing a postman, ‘the Sheila’ with a vintage floral dress showing a big heart, ‘the Sunbaker’ with a vintage swimsuit enjoying beaches and ‘Sandy’ – the surf rescuer.

The various dolls.

The famous Tradie named Dazza comes with a miniature metal toolbox and the soon-to-be-launched Bushwalker has accessories to match.

Each Rugaroo character is carefully crafted with their high-quality design, playful Aussie personalities, and accessories like tiny toolboxes, esky with lamingtons, fairy bread, coffee cups, miniature postal boxes and pool floatie.

The mob of six Rugaroo kangaroo dolls.

Ms Weil said every launch was kept as a limited edition to build anticipation, drive demand and encourage collecting.

“It’s more than just play,” Ms Weil said.

“It’s about connection — to family, to culture, to storytelling. Kids carry these kangaroos in pouch bags like little joeys, it’s about emotion.”

Now Rugabub is planning the rollout of new characters every few months, including the much-anticipated koalas.

A ‘grey nomad’ set is in development, complete with tiny caravans and swags.

Future expansion also includes more accessories, furniture and scene-building elements — chairs, hammocks, billy cans — so children can create entire communities for their dolls.

“We left the mats blank so kids could use their imagination. That’s the soul of what we’re doing — enriching play without limits.”

Originally published as Aussie toy sells out in 47 mins, turns $200 into $200k