Issue date March 27, 2018:
From Australia Post’s Stamp Bulletin:

This stamp issue focuses on the Crabeater Seal (Lobodon carcinophaga), which is thought to be the most numerous of the six seal species found in Antarctica. It has a circumpolar distribution and is largely restricted to the pack-ice zone of Antarctica, which uctuates in area as the pack-ice expands and contracts with the seasons. While it has been observed congregating in large groups, the Crabeater Seal is more commonly observed in groups of around three or as a solitary animal, partly the result of it occupying oating pack-ice, which can break into smaller floes.

The four stamps in this issue illustrate some aspects and behaviours of the Crabeater Seal: the female gives birth to a single pup each spring, which it raises alone; the species is generally a solitary animal or congregates in small groups; and while it is ungainly on ice, the Crabeater has great skill in the water. It can dive to around 600 metres and for periods of about 25 minutes.

[press release]
Australia Post features war memorials on latest stamp issue
Issue Date: April 10, 2018

In the lead up to Anzac Day, Australia Post is releasing a commemorative stamp issue that recognises the significance and diversity of war memorials.In the lead up to Anzac Day, Australia Post is releasing a commemorative stamp issue that recognises the significance and diversity of war memorials.

Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said war memorials began to appear in different forms following the immense loss of life during World War I.

“Each memorial stands as a symbol of sacrifice – a place to reflect upon the impact of war and to honour those who have died serving their country or are serving today,” Mr Zsolt said.

This stamp issue, created by Visua founder Gary Domoney, is the fifth and final in the five-year series, A Century of War, which focuses on the Australian experience of war across the last century, since WWI.

The memorials featured on the base-rate ($1) stamps are:

• Cobbers Statue – the Australian Memorial Park in Fromelles, France. The statue, sculpted by Peter Corlett, is in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916. It depicts Sergeant Simon Fraser, 58th Battalion, carrying a wounded man on his back. The word “Cobber” was used by Fraser in a letter he wrote in 1916, in which he described the rescue of two men: “Then another man about 30 yards sang out, ‘Don’t forget me, cobber’. I went in and got four volunteers with stretchers, and we got both men in safely.”
• Avenue of Honour, Ballarat – the longest and one of the earliest memorial tree plantings of its type, spanning 22 kilometres and incorporating the Ballarat Arch of Victory. The Ballarat memorial is one of 547 known avenues of honour in Australia, and commemorates all service personnel equally, in order of enlistment rather than rank. It was created to honour the 3,912 Ballarat district men and women who served in WWI.
• Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, Canberra – located in the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial, it holds the remains of an unknown soldier who died on the Western Front and bears the simple inscription “An Unknown Australian Soldier Killed in the War of 1914–1918”. The tomb symbolises the 23,000 Australian soldiers killed in WWI and whose bodies were never recovered and returned, but lie in the ground far from their home.
• Darwin Cenotaph – commemorates Australian personnel who have served in all conflicts since WWI and was the first such memorial in the Northern Territory, dedicated in 1921. It has been relocated several times and now overlooks the Darwin Harbour, the site of the Japanese air attack during World War II, on 19 February 1942. It is located on the site where the 14th Anti-Aircraft Battery was positioned when it fired the first shots in defence of Australia on Australian soil.
• Legacy Memorial, Melbourne – established by Legacy, a voluntary organisation supported by volunteers, veterans and service personnel. Legacy assists approximately 65,000 families of veterans who have died or been incapacitated by their military service. The statue Widow and Children, sculpted by Louis Larmen, is a memorial to those who serve and those who bear the scars of war at home. It is set in the Legacy Garden of Appreciation at the Shrine of Remembrance.

The products available with this stamp issue are a minisheet, stamp pack, first day cover, maxicard set, booklet of 10 x $1.00 stamps, medallion cover, prestige booklet, prestige cover and 2 x postal and numismatic covers.

The War Memorials stamp issue is available from 10 April 2018 at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last. Please visit auspostcollectables.com.au for more information on the War Memorials stamp issue.

[press release]
Colourful Australian finches highlighted in new stamps
Issue date: March 16, 2018

Australia Post is celebrating the diverse beauty of Australian finches in its latest stamp issue, which features colourful illustrations of the small birds.Australia Post’ is celebrating the diverse beauty of Australian finches in its latest stamp issue, which features colourful illustrations of the small birds.

Australia is home to 19 species of native finch, including firetails and mannikins. These beautiful birds belong to the Estrildidae family of the Passeriformes order, an extensive grouping of songbirds. Also known as grass-finches, they are distinctive in appearance, making some of them popular as aviary birds. Australia’s finches are separate from the Ploceidae family, or the “true finches”, which occur in the Americas, Eurasia and Africa.

Ornithologist Wayne Longmore, who consulted on the stamp issue, said: “Australian finches are varied, colourful and full of character; these four stamps represent those three things, and they include both the unusual and common.”

The four domestic base-rate ($1) stamps, designed by John White of the Australia Post Design Studio, feature the illustrations of wildlife artist Kevin Stead, who is a frequent contributor to Australian Geographic magazine.

The stamps in this issue feature the following species:

• The Blue-faced Parrot-Finch (Erythrura trichroa) has some 10 subspecies across Australia, Melanesia and Micronesia. It is renowned for its blue face and bright green body. In Australia, its territory is restricted to just the eastern side of Cape York Peninsula, as far south as Cairns.
• The Double-barred Finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii) takes its name from the two narrow black bands across its pale chest and encircling much of its face. The Double-barred Finch stays close to surface water and occupies a range of habitats, including pandanus, long grasses, open forests, scrublands and grassy woodlands.
• The Star Finch (Neochmia ruficauda) is a brightly coloured species, with great individual variation in its plumage. It is mainly olive green with a scarlet face and white spots on its underparts and tail, but the depth of scarlet on the face and the number and size of its spots varies by bird. Always close to water, the Star Finch prefers tall, rank grasses, swamp rushes and moist green vegetation.
• The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is named for the adult male’s finely barred black-and-white chest and more heavily barred tail. It also has a conspicuous orange ear patch below a blue-grey brow and a bright orange beak. This species covers most of continental Australia and as such has a varied habitat, including rank grass, spinifex tussocks and mulga woodlands, as well as urban parks and backyards.

The products available with this stamp issue are a first day cover, stamp pack, maxicard set, booklet of 10 x $1 stamps and a roll of 100 x $1 stamps. The Australian Finches stamp issue is available at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps, while stocks last.

Visit auspostcollectables.com.au for more information on the Australian Finches stamp issue.

[press release]
Australia Post commemorates Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in its latest stamp issue

27th March 2018 — Australia Post is releasing a commemorative stamp to celebrate the upcoming Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

It will be the fifth time Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games, which is held every four years, in the event’s 88-year history. Previous games have been held in Sydney (1938), Perth (1962), Brisbane (1982) and Melbourne (2006).

Canada hosted the very first Commonwealth Games in 1930 (then known as the British Empire Games) which saw 400 athletes from 11 countries compete across just six sports. This has grown significantly with this year’s Commonwealth Games set to host over 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 nations and territories, competing across 18 sports.

Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt said: “this stamp issue commemorates the largest sporting event Australia has played host to this decade.”

The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, to be held 4-15 April, will be a record-setting event with up to 300 para-athletes expected to compete in 38 medal events across seven sports. This represents 45 per cent more athletes and 73 per cent more medals than the previous para-sport competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The domestic base-rate ($1) commemorative stamp was designed by Sonia Young of the Australia Post Design Studio and features the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games emblem.

The emblem captures the energy and spirit of the ‘Friendly Games’ and is inspired by the bold colours and shapes of the Gold Coast landscape. It features the figures of three athletes; a gymnast, a hurdler and a swimmer, which aim to reflect the depth of heritage and deep humanity of the Games. For more information visit www.gc2018.com/games.

The products associated with this stamp issue are a first day cover, stamp pack, minisheet, maxicard set [bottom right] and medallion cover.

The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games stamp issue is available from 20 March 2018 at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online, while stocks last.

Please visit auspostcollectables.com.au for more information on the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games stamp issue.

[press release]
Australia Post features sweet nostalgia on new stamps

Australia Post is paying tribute to one of the first locally manufactured foods in Australia, jam, in its latest stamp issue.

The new stamps will feature the artwork of Australian paper jam labels from the late-19th century until the mid-20th century, and be available in Post Offices across the country and online from 6 March 2018.

Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt said: “The four colourful jam labels shown in this stamp issue represent some of the key stages, locations and players in the history of Australian jam manufacturing. The vibrant designs have a nostalgic feel that will appeal to many, especially as vintage jam labels are a highly collectable form of ephemera.”

At the beginning of the 20th century, Australia’s primary production industries expanded at a great rate, leading Australia to become a major exporter of food, including fresh fruit, tinned fruit and tinned jam.

The four domestic base-rate ($1) stamps, designed by Jo Muré of the Australia Post Design Studio, present four bright and cheerful paper labels from the follwing brands:

• Peacock’s which is considered the first factory-scale site for commercial jam manufacturing in Australia. George Peacock (1824-1900) set up his factory in 1861, in Hobart, Tasmania, before expanding his business into Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and New Zealand. Peacock is also credited as the first commercial jam manufacturer to use tins instead of jars. His factory is where Henry Jones, the creator of the IXL brand, began work at age 12, pasting labels onto tins.
• Kingurli which was one of many brands produced by George McEwin, a gardener and orchardist from Houghton, South Australia. McEwin founded a jam factory with this son, in 1862, to make use of excess fruit. At its peak, the factory employed more than 100 people. Other McEwin brands included Glen Ewin and Viking. The label presented shows jam made from Prince Englebert plums.
• Melray was a grocery chain founded in 1932, in Prahran, Melbourne, and one of several grocers, buyers groups and wholesale co-operatives that sold jam under their own brand names. Melray had branches across Australia and its jam labels often included special customer reward tokens for redemption in-store.
• Alva was one of the many smaller jam manufacturers operating in the early 20th century. The Alva brand was first established by W H Johnson’s Jams Pty Ltd of Melbourne in the 1930s, and was a well-advertised brand of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. Alva Jams was bought out during the 1970s – a period of industry-wide decline.

The products available with this stamp issue are a minisheet, first day cover, stamp pack, set of maxicards, booklet of 10 x $1 self-adhesive stamps, chequebook of 20 x 10 x $1 self-adhesive stamps and a booklet collection. Visit auspostcollectables.com.au for more information.

[press release]
Banksias to feature on Australia Post stamp issue

Australia Post is celebrating the botanical beauty of the Australian bushland, the banksia, in its latest stamp issue.

Banksias hold great historical significance to Australia. They were among the first flora species collected in Australia, during Captain Cook’s 1770 journey on the Endeavour, and scientifically described. The genus takes its name from botanist Joseph Banks who collected five species during the voyage.

Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt said: “we are excited to acknowledge banksias as an Australian botanical icon, striking in both the natural landscape and in native gardens. For those with a keen interest in Australian native plants, we believe these stamps will be a popular collector’s item”.

The genus banksia is a group of woody evergreens with diverse foliage and large, brightly-coloured flower heads that range from prostrate shrubs to trees of up to 25 metres. Of the 173 species in the genus, all but one are endemic to Australia.

The stamps feature the artwork of celebrated Australian botanical artist Celia Rosser OAM, who was Monash University’s botanical artist from 1974 to 1999. Working alongside Australian botanist and banksia specialist Alex George, Ms Rosser produced scientifically accurate and highly detailed illustrations of banksia species. Her impressive 25-year work on the project culminated in a three-volume publication of her life-sized artworks, titled The Banksias, and earned Ms Rosser an honorary Master of Science in 1981 and an honorary PhD in 1999 from Monash University. She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1995 for her services to botanical art.

Ms Rosser said: “banksias are a great love of mine and I am thrilled Australia Post has created this stamp issue to celebrate their beauty and durability. They capture something really special about Australia”.

The artworks shown on the stamps and minisheet are held in the Monash University Collection. The four domestic base-rate ($1) stamps have been designed by Australia Post designer Jo Muré and feature the following species:

• Banksia speciosa which occurs naturally on Western Australia’s south-coast, and has long, triangular-lobed leaves that can reach eight metres in height.
• Banksia grossa is a small, slow-growing shrub, growing to around one metre. This fire-resistant species is limited to the north of Perth.
• Banksia coccinea is known for its bright red flower heads, highlighted by its grey-green oblong foliage. It grows to around eight metres and blooms from June through to January in Western Australia.
• Banksia cuneata has two common names, Matchstick Banksia for its flowers and Quairading Banksia for the place it was discovered. It is listed “endangered”, with less than 2,500 mature trees evident in the wild.

The stamp issue products include a minisheet, first day cover, stamp pack, set of four maxicards and booklet of 20 x $1 stamps. They are available from 20 February 2018 at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794, and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last.

For more information visit auspostcollectables.com.au .

[press release]
Australian TV entertainment greats celebrated in this year’s Australia Post Legends Awards

18th January 2018 — Five of Australia’s much loved television personalities will today be honoured in Australia Post’s 2018 Legends Awards to celebrate their significant contribution to the country’s entertainment industry.

This year’s legends – Denise Drysdale, Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Ray Martin AM, Bert Newton AM MBE and Daryl Somers OAM – will each have their image featured on new postage stamps, which will form part of the 2018 Legends of TV Entertainment stamp series.

Australia Post Managing Director and Group CEO, Christine Holgate, said all of the award recipients have demonstrated imagination, perseverance and compassion throughout their distinguished entertainment careers.

“Each of these multi-award winning television personalities have made unique contributions to the Australian entertainment industry and have played a role in forming our national popular culture,” Ms Holgate said.

“They are consummate performers who have entertained, informed and entranced generations of Australians. Together they encompass an incredible range of remarkable talents including journalism, variety hosting, interviewing, singing, acting and comedy.”

Now in its 22nd year, the Australia Post Legends Award celebrates the lives of living Australians who have made a unique contribution, inspired the community and influenced the way Australians think about themselves and the community.

Past recipients have included Sir Donald Bradman, Dame Joan Sutherland, Barry Humphries, Medical Scientists, Legends of Philanthropy, Fashion Legends, Legends of the Screen, Legends of Cooking, and Legends of Singles Tennis. A complete list of past recipients can be found at auspost.com.au/legends.

The 2018 Australia Post Legends will be honoured at official Australia Day Council events hosted in Melbourne and Sydney, with the first luncheon taking place in Melbourne today. Each Legend will be presented with a unique 24-carat gold replica of their stamp at the luncheon.

The 2018 Legends of TV Entertainment will feature on a $1 stamp, a first day cover, stamp pack, maxicards, and booklet pack for collectors.

The stamps and associated products are available at participating Post Offices, via mail order phone 1800 331 794, and online at auspost.com.au/stamps from 18 January 2018 while stocks last.

Australia Post is this month commemorating the 150th anniversary since the last convict transport ship docked in Australia, with the release of three new stamps.

Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said the stamp issue depicted three former penal colonies — New South Wales, Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and Swan River (Western Australia).

“We trust Australian history buffs and those with a convict family connection will find this stamp issue of great interest,” Mr Zsolt said.

From the first days of penal transportation to the Australian colonies, the forced labour of convicts formed part of a penal system that would help build thriving settlements.

The two domestic base-rate ($1) and one international rate ($3) stamps were designed by Tim Hancock of Melbourne-based design studio Backpack.

• The NSW Colony stamp (above) features the heritage-listed Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney – the first government-built convict barracks. Opened in 1819, it served as a principal depot for male convicts in NSW until 1848. The stamp design also shows the ticket of leave, dispensed for good behaviour, issued to William Anson in 1828 and a lithograph of a Sydney chain gang.
• The Van Diemen’s Land stamp (right) represents the World Heritage-listed Port Arthur – a penal settlement for men and operated from 1830 to 1877. The penitentiary is one of the site’s most recognisable buildings. The stamp design also features a graphic of a convict love token, which is believed to relate to John Camplin, a 15-year-old convicted of stealing a silver watch, who received the death penalty, which was later commuted to life imprisonment.
• The Swan River Colony stamp (below) depicts the end of the convict transportation era. The Hougoumont was the last convict ship to sail to Australia, carrying 279 prisoners to the Swan River Colony in 1868. The stamp shows the Convict Establishment, built in the early 1850s with convict labour, and later known as Fremantle Prison. The stamp design also shows a fragment of text from The Wild Goose, a newspaper written by the Irish political prisoners aboard the Hougoumont.

The products associated with this stamp issue are a first day cover, stamp pack, maxicard set of three, postal numismatic cover, sheetlet of five $3 self-adhesive stamps, booklet of 10 x $1 stamps and a roll of 100 x $1 self-adhesive stamps.

The Convict Past stamp issue is available from participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last.

[press release]
Australia Post celebrates the Year of the Dog

Australia Post will celebrate the Year of the Dog with the release of two Lunar New Year stamps.

Australia Post stamp designer Dani Poon said the stamp issue features traditional Chinese designs and customs, in the hope of giving everyone an opportunity to send wishes of good fortune and health to family and friends, both here and overseas

Ms Poon said she used paper cut motifs, a popular form of Chinese art, to represent the Dog in the $1 stamp. The Chinese calligraphic character for the Dog is shown in the $3 stamp.

“People born under the Dog zodiac sign possess the best traits of human nature. They are intelligent, honest, loving, loyal and quick learners, who hold much of their thought process deep inside,” Ms Poon said.

“The dog minisheet is one of my favourites because it illustrates the dog’s personality traits in such a dynamic, quirky and fun way – rice seeds in the shape of a dog gliding in the sky. While the $1 stamp portraits a loyal dog with the traditional Chinese motifs, the $3 stamp uses a more modern approach.”

The Dog is the 11th sign in the Chinese Zodiac and is a symbol of independence, sincerity, courage and intelligence, as well as loyalty and friendship. Famous people born in the Year of the Dog include Prince William, Dame Judi Dench, Glenn McGrath, Adam Hills and Billy Thorpe.

A highlight of this stamp issue is a special silk minisheet pack, finished with gold foil detailing and where one of the three sheets in the pack is printed on silk. A 999.9 pure gold replica Year of the Dog minisheet in a presentation case is also a highly collectable part of the range.

This year sees the introduction of a new product into the range that will appeal to the young and the young at heart, The Peanuts Year of the Dog stamp pack, which includes a sheetlet of 10 x $1 Year of the Dog 2018 stamps without foiling. Snoopy, the much-loved dog from the Peanuts comic strip, originally created by Charles M Schulz (1922-2000), is featured in the tabs of the stamps.

Other products associated with this stamp issue are a minisheet, zodiac sheetlet, first day cover, stamp pack, postcard, prestige booklet, customisable $1 stamp in the Personalised Stamps™ range, gutter strip of 10 x $1 stamps with design, domestic and international postage paid envelopes, medallion cover, Chinese New Year Dragon postal numismatic cover and a Lunar New Year of the Dog postal numismatic cover.