There’s a new kids publisher in Australia. The upstart Lemonfizz Media is being headed up by ex-MD and publisher of Hardie Grant Egmont, Susannah McFarlane.

McFarlane has wasted no time in getting things off the ground, having inked an agreement with Scholastic in Australia and New Zealand to serve as Lemonfizz’s market partner for its first series down under.

Girl-targeted adventure series EJ12, Girl Hero for the seven-to-10 set, will make its debut in early 2010, along with boy’s fantasy battle series Boy v Beast, which is being created in partnership with educational consultant and publisher Louise Park. In addition, McFarlane’s on the hunt for international opps for the two series and on top of that, she’s also written a multi-title picture-book series to be published by Scholastic in 2010 and 2011.