AAAAAAAAARGH!
I had just typed a really long post about this before my computer crashed! Anyway, I don't have the time to type all of that again, so this is a quick short version... *sigh*

RE: Transformers in Australia in late 1984

Basically I got my first Transformer (Brawn) in late 1984 and there were things happening in my life around that time that seared it into my memory. One thing I did as a kid was that I used my school teachers as chronological landmarks. Mrs. Hawkins was my teacher in 1984 and Ms. Rathke was my teacher in 1985; when I got Brawn Mrs. Hawkins was the most recent teacher in my mind and I didn't even know who Ms. Rathke was yet - long story short, 1984 was a very memorable year for me, and both were quite memorable teachers.

And I'm not the only one who's made this claim; I have encountered a number of other Aussie fans who also recall getting their first TFs in 1984. But 2 things that I've found consistent with all of our stories:
* Always from an independent toy store, not a major
* Always late 1984

But everything you're saying is anecdotal
This is true. I cannot deny it. I was a kid. I didn't think to take a photo of Brawn with that day's newspaper. The most I did was make a database on my Commodore 64, but I didn't start doing that until 1985 and that file has long been lost. I know that I've been recounting the story of how I got this toy for years since late 1984. Remember that I've never stopped living and breathing Transformers so these memories have never become stale for me. This is also why I feel no nostalgia for anything Transformers. It's why I fervently believe that even original G1 toys should never sell for above RRP, why I think jacking up prices for a "vintage" toy is as ridiculous as doing it for current toys. Because I don't really see them as "historical." Yeah, I'm the guy who's never left the 80s. So you've all seen the more annoying side of my inability to let go of the past... but the upside is that I don't let go of the past! (I've just learned to keep my mouth shut when I see how much money people are paying for G1 toys; after I've picked my jaw up off the ground at least )

How can you reconcile these anecdotes with other evidence?
The other evidence is that Milton Bradley's records show that they did not supply Transformers to stores in 1984. But my recount and the recounts of others consistently state that we sighted and/or purchased Transformers in late 1984 from independent toy stores like Uncle Pete's Toys, Toyworld etc., and not majors like Target, Kmart, Big W, Grace Bros etc. The evidence proves that Transformers were not distributed in Australia by Milton Bradley. In light of this I would theorise that any stores that would've had TF stock in 84 must have received them from an independent source (not MB). And this isn't an unfamiliar thing. For example, small independent stores like Kings Comics, HobbyCo etc. were selling Power of the Primes and Siege toys long before they hit majors, and I know that they were sourced independently because when I mentioned Siege to Hasbro in January of this year they had no knowledge of it. I was told by a Hasbro rep that Siege was intended for release by the Xmas period of 2018 but there were problems with their ordering system which meant that it didn't arrive until months later. It sounds like something similar might have happened in 1984-85; and MB have said that they intended for Transformers to be available here for Xmas of '84 but issues with their ordering meant that stock didn't arrive until 1985. And it would be possible that other stores, not willing to wait for MB, went ahead and imported them directly because we know that in the United States that Transformers had already set a new record as the most successful debut toyline, making US$1.4 million domestically (F. Schodt).

(gah, my modem just crashed... I am not having a good day with technology today!)

Anyway, I'm not at all disputing MB's records, but the records don't necessarily disprove claims of the toys being available here. It just means that any toys that were sold here must have been acquired from another source. If I were to indulge in using the language of Mythbusters:
  • Transformers available in Australia in 1984: PLAUSIBLE
    It's unconfirmed but cannot be ruled out as outright impossible.

  • Transformers not distributed by MB in Australia until 1985: CONFIRMED

  • Blue Bluestreak exists: BUSTED
    As we all know, no sealed sample has ever surfaced. But another reason that's listed on tfwiki is "collectors who have been at it since the very beginning...have never seen one."; I would consider recounts from OG fans, and especially those of us who've never quit Transformers - who never allowed the 80s to become forgotten - as being more reliable as those who did


Remember, I'm the kind of weirdo who still clings onto 80s RRPs. I definitely remember something far less trivial like when and how I got my first Transformer.

Whatever. I still don't believe you.
That's fine. I totally understand the skepticism as it is true, my evidence is anecdotal and I can't offer anything beyond this. So if you want to remain skeptical about this, then go ahead and do so. As I said, the best I can do is say that my claim is "plausible," but not "confirmable," and that's fine.