Australia Day celebrates the establishment of the first European settlement in Australia – and this year sees the 200th anniversary of that event. On Australia Day, 26 January 1988, Australia Post will release its Bicentennial Australia Day stamps. A se-tenant strip fo five 37c stamps will depict the arrival of the First Fleet and the raising of the flag at Sydney Cove.
The Australia Day stamps are the culimination of an on-going series which has followed the voyage of the First Fleet. The series began in May 1987 with the Departure of the First Fleet. It covered the arrival at Teneriffe in June 1987. The 200th anniversary of the fleet’s arrival at Rio de Janeiro was commorated in August 1987. The last stop-over en route was at Cape of Good Hope and this was recorded on a set of stamps issued in October 1987. In all, there are twenty-one stamps in the series. When placed side-by-side the twenty-one stamps form a single picture illustrating the fortunes of the fleet from its Portsmouth departure to its arrival at Sydney Cove.
The voyage from Cape Town to Botany Bay took about eight weeks, it was an uncomfortable paggase as the ships were buffeted by rough seas. There was no let-up, even on Christmas Day, as the Chaplain Richard Johnson recorded:
I do assure you we ate our roast pig and Plumb [sic] pudding with great relish, though with no less difficulty, our plates, & c., tumbling down, and we scarcely able to keep upon our seats.
It was Captain Phillip’s plan to go on ahead and seek out the best possible site for the proposed settlement before the main fleet arrived. He therefore transferred to Supply and split the convoy into three transports; the three fastest transports, Alexander, Scarborough and Friendship would follow at full speed; and Sirius would escort the remainder of the Fleet at the best rate they could muster. As it happened, Supply arrived at Botany Bay on 18 January. The second part of the Fleet followed within twenty-four hours, and the remainder of the Fleet made its appearance the following day.
It was on the shores of Botany Bay thay Phillip and his crew had their first encounter with the Aborigines who were found to be “exceedingly shy & timid.” Beads, cloth and other baubles were given to the natives as tokens of friendship.
Phillip was not taken with Botany Bay as the site for his settlement, so he headed north to Port Jackson where (in his own words) he discovered:
…one of the finest harbours in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line might ride in perfect security.
There was considerable astonishment when two French vessels under the command of La Perouse appeared at the entrance to Botany Bay.
By nightfall on 26 January 1788 Phillip’s convoy was safely at anchor in Sydney Cover, named in honour of Lord Sydney.
All twenty-one stamps of the First Fleet series have an extended philatelic sales period which will make them available throughout the the Bicentennial year.
The designs of the “Arrival” set will also be seen on stamps of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling Islands), due to be issued on the same day as the Australian stamps.
Collectors will be able to purchase the omnibus issue – Australian, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands stamps, each in se-tenant strips of five – presented in a single souvenir stamp pack priced at $6.95.
The Australian se-tenant strip will also be packagaed in a seperate wallet which will be forwarded to all who have registered themselves as purchasers of the First Fleet Stamp Heritage Book. The cost of this wallet is included in the heritage book purchase proce and no further payment will be required.
Details
- Date of Issue: 26 January 1988
- Withdrawn Date:
- 26 October 1987 (First Day Cover)
- 30 December 1988 (Stamps & Stamp Pack)
- Designer: Sue Passmore, Australia Post Graphic Design Studio
- Printer: CPE Australia Ltd, Melbourne
- Process: Photolithography
- Colours:
- Paper: Harrison’s Stamp Paper
- Perf: 13.25 (comb)
- Sheet: 50 stamps printed in two panes (R5 x 5), separated by horizontal gutter.
- Quantity:
Subjects
- 37c – Aborigines
- 37c – Aboriginal Family
- 37c – Arrival at Botany Bay
- 37c – Supply at Anchor
- 37c – Raising of the Flag
Gutter Strip
First Day Covers
First day covers were priced at $2.05
SYDNEY/NSW 2000
MAXIMUM CARDS
The set of five maximum cards was priced at $3.25.
Collector Cards
The set of five collector cards was priced at $2.00.
Stamp Pack
The stamp pack was available in two verstion. The pack containing only Australian stamps was priced at $2.20. The pack containing the stamps of Australia, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands was priced at $6.95.
Stamp Bulletin
Australia Stamp Bulletin No.193 (January 1988)
