New Zealand

Let me take you to the Land of the Long White Cloud.  It was the first country that popped into my head for this week's Sunday Stamps scenery theme.  New Zealand's continuing definitive series has an infinite choice of subjects in the country's stunning landscape.  My love of mountain scenery means the first stamp is a tranquil scene featuring Mitre Peak

This stamp was issued for what must be a rare occasion in any country - a reduction in price for standard letter post - but only within New Zealand from 45c to 40c.  Mitre Peak (1695m) rises out of the water of Milford Sound at the heart of the Fiordland National Park on the south west corner of South Island.   The Maori name for it is Aorangi - Cloud Piercer

I like the borders of the 1995 set and this has Kea feathers surrounding a view of the alpine area of South Island with the many peaked Mount Cook in the background.  I wish New Zealand still issued stamps of this larger size for their scenery definitives but from 1996 they went for a smaller size and self adhesive

They were first issued in booklets of 10 and the first country in the world to use dot screen technology on the stamps for a sharper image.  Top is Mt Egmont on the flat land of central west coast of North Island.  The Maori call it Barren Mountain (Taranaki) and the legend tells how it was banished here after a quarrel with a big volcano.  It is estimated that the last time Mt Egmont erupted was in 1775.
The bottom stamp above is Piercy Island at the eastern entrance of the Bay of Islands on the NE coast of North Island. The hole you see goes right through the island and small boats in calm seas will sail through it.  A popular tourist destination and

2009: New Zealand Scenery definitive

many people will stay here in Russell taking trips from its seaport on the Bay of Islands.

1996: Scenery definitives

Another popular tourist destination is the Fox Glacier which runs with its companion Franz Josef from a high alpine level down to within a few hundred feet of sea level.

Once again Mount Cook is featured but this time reflected in the waters of Lake Matheson together with Mt Tansman.

The second largest lake on South Island is Wakatipu and this shows the vintage steamer Earnslaw (built 1912) cruising on its way to Queenstown in Central Ortago.

The last one I have of this set is of Tory Channel which is always calm (in contrasts to the wild seas of the Cook Straight which divides the two islands) and is named after the survey ship which manoeuvred and mapped its way through this tricky and winding passage in 1838.

2000: Tourism

Cape Kidnappers (which sounds like it should be a film title) is on Hawke's Bay and has a large gannet colony.

2007: definitive

Here in Central Otago we are in the most inland region of New Zealand and the driest, hottest and coldest place in the country.  A beautiful winter view.  

 Lastly lets take to the water and do some whale watching at Kaikoura on the south islands eastern coastline and then relax 'while sheep do safely graze' by Lake Coleridge at the foot of the southern alps, Auckland and their dormant volcanoes.

An entry to Sunday Stamps II theme - Scenery - take in the more views here