A souvenir cover and six pictorial postmarkers were provided on 16th March, 1974, to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth in Lincolnshire, England, of explorer Matthew Flinders (1774-1814).
Flinders’ most important voyage of discovery was his circumnavigation in 1801-3 of Australia in HMS Investigator in which he charted many miles of previously undiscovered coastline.
The postmarkers were used at the following six points (one in each state) associated with Flinders’ voyages: – Albany (WA), Port Lincoln (SA), Arthur’s Seat (VIC), Whitemark (Flinder’s Island, Tas), Lake Illawarra (NSW) and Pialba (Qld).
The postmarker design features one of the two anchors left behind on the sea floor when the Investigator was leaving Middle Island near Esperance, W.A., on 21st May, 1803. This occurred because the anchors were dragging, and to avoid being driven ashore, Flinders cut the cables. In January, 1973, the anchors were recovered and are now in storage pending restoration.
The suggestion to use one of the Investigator’s anchors in the postmarker design was made by Mr. K.A. Austen, B.A., F.R.G.S., who also supplied the information on the anchor’s recovery.
Details
- Date: 16 March 1974
- Servicing Post Office:
- Postmark Type: Pictorial
- Quantity: 47,209
- 7,049 (Albany, W.A.)
- 6,650 (Port Lincoln, S.A.)
- 8,112 (Arthur’s Seat, Vic)
- 10,986 (Whitemark, Tas)
- 7,775 (Lake Illawarra, N.S.W.)
- 6,637 (Pialba, Qld.)
Souvenir Cover
