Sunday, 3 August 2025

Australia Day

 A is for Australia Day -

1990: Australia Day (Illustrator - Celia Rosser)
The Golden Wattle acacia was pronounced Australia's floral emblem in 1988. The adoption of the wattle dates back to 1899 and indeed there is a National Wattle Day on the 1st September when acacia of all species are in flower. Australia Day on the other hand is celebrated on the 17th January.
1982: Australia Day (Design and Engraving - Brian Clinton)
Brian Clinton has been a prolific designer of Australian stamps since 1977 but has a passion for portrait painting so he would have enjoyed this postage stamp commission.
1966: Famous Navigators (Design - Walter Jardine)
Adventurers - Two famous seafarers exploring the southern oceans, Captain James Cook and Abel Tasman. The cancel extols the virtues of  Australian food products - "Australian Food Produces Champions".
1953: Food Production (Design - George Lissenden)
Agriculture - Australia's biggest grain crop is Wheat.
1982: Reptiles and Frogs (Design - Beverley Bruen)
Amphibians - Corroboree Frog found in New South Wales. Pretty but poisonous. The poison is secreted from their skin to protect against predators, useful as they are ground dwelling
2003: Nature of Australia - Rainforests (Design - Wayne Rankin)

Sometimes it is safer in a tree. The orange-thighed tree frog in the wet tropical rainforest of North Queensland - Daintree National Park
1982: Tourism - Surf Boat
Aerogrammes -  One can fit a lot of correspondence, indeed a whole life, in this inexpensive, thin, lightweight folded piece of postal paper. The UK discontinued their use in 2012 but having checked on the Australia Post site they still issue them. The current one features flora and fauna of Australia.

Sunday Stamps is starting on a journey through the alphabet - See It On A Postcard 

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