Postage stamps and postal history of the Australian Antarctic Territory
Australia has issued postage stamps for the Australian Antarctic Territory since 1957. All have been Antarctic themed, and are also valid for postage in Australia, so in practice they are just Australian stamps with a different inscription.
First stamps
The first stamp issued specifically for the territory was a two shilling blue stamp with a design of explorers and an Antarctic map, as shown in the adjacent picture. This was first issued in Australia on 27 March 1957 and in Antarctica on 11 December 1957.[1]
Used stamps
Used stamps from the territory are usually found with either mainland Australia postal cancels, or first day cover cancels as there is relatively little genuine mail from the bases.
Bases
The Australian Antarctic Territory bases are:
- Casey Station
- Davis Station
- Heard Island
- Macquarie Island Station
- Mawson Station
- Wilkes Station (now closed)
All AAT mail will be cancelled with a postmark from one of these bases, though First Day Covers are now thought to be cancelled with the relevant base name at the Australian Philatelic Bureau, and not all bases are currently in use or permanently occupied.
References
- ↑ Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986, p.331. ISBN 0-356-10862-7
Further reading
- Milner, Roy M. Postal History of the Australian Antarctic 1911-1965. London: Published for the Polar Postal History Society of Great Britain by Robson Lowe Ltd., 1975 ISBN 0853971536, 48p.
- Woolley, Colleen A. and Janet S. Eury. Postmarks of the Australian Antarctic Territory 1911-2004. Diamond Creek, Vic, Australia: Australian PictorMarks, 2004 ISBN 0646401718, 97p.
External links
- Enjoy polar philately on a cold winter's evening by Janet Klug
- Official Web Site
- Sandafayre Stamp Atlas - Antarctica