Birds of a Feather – The Twinnies

Australian Story was updating its episode on identical twins Paula and Bridgette Powers last month when out of the blue they became a global media sensation. An interview they gave about a gunman who'd crashed a car outside their bird sanctuary went viral and suddenly they were everywhere.

Parodies of them talking in unison flooded the internet and we were filming with them when they were interviewed live by US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. But Paula and Bridgette, better known as the Twinnies, are used to being the objects of curiosity.

The Twinnies are the closest identical twins that some experts have seen. They not only talk in sync, they dress the same and even their mother had trouble telling them apart. They've struggled with poor health all their lives but have found purpose in rescuing seabirds on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

"I think a lot of people make the mistake of seeing the Twinnies as being some sort of novelty act because they talk in unison," vet and television presenter Dr Chris Brown tells Australian Story. "But I think you do that at your peril. These girls are experts. They're absolute pros."

After working with the late Steve Irwin, the Twinnies started their bird sanctuary more than 20 years ago. But the running costs are prohibitive and when the property's owner decided to sell recently, the stress became so great that Paula and Bridgette's mother Helen thought they should call it quits.

Enter philanthropist Dr Peter Sherwood – ‘Saint Peter' as the twins call him – who shared their interest in healing and wanted to help.

"Miracles can happen if you stick at something long enough and don't ever give up," their mother Helen tells Australian Story.

Producers: Angela Leonardi and Rebecca Armstrong.