Society of Australasian Specialists/Oceania (AUSTRALIA) The Society of Australasian Specialists was founded in July 1936 by a small group of collectors interested in Australasian philately. In 1965,
the American Society of Australian Philatelists, later to become Oceania, Inc. was established for the same purpose as the older SAS. In 1978,
the two Societies consolidated to better serve the members of both organizations. Today, the Society has many members, not only in the United States and Canada,
but also in New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, and a few other countries.
Western Australia Study Group (AUSTRALIA) The WASG was founded in 1974 to promote the collection and study of all aspects of the philately of Western Australia. Postal history started in
1826 with the settlement at King George Sound as an outpost of New South Wales. The Swan River Colony was founded in 1829 and its first adhesive
postage stamps appeared in 1854 followed by postal stationery in 1879.
Australian Airmail Society (AUSTRALIA)
Meetings 1st Wednesday of each month 7:45pm at SAPHIL House, 22 Gray Court, Adelaide
Contact P.O. Box 395, Edwardstown, SA 5039
Postal Stationery and Postal History Society of Australia Incorporated The society was formed to cater for collectors who are interested in aspects of philately other than the study of postage stamps alone.
Its members are interested in postal stationery, postal history and the exploration of the new areas associated with postal stationery and
postal history including postmarks, airmails, military mail, Cinderella’s, literature etc
The Perfin Club of New Zealand and Australia The Club was formed in 1987 and currently has about 150 members. Members' interests include the Official and private perfins of Australia and New Zealand.
The Club has produced two publications: "Australian Official Perfins", by David Andersen (2007) and "Handbook of Australian Private Perfins", by John Mathews (2003)
New Issues
of Australian Postage Stamps
Australia Post
This site has special section for young collectors, a gallery of new issues of postage stamps and details of post office operations including rate information
Arthur Gray Kangaroos sell for $A7,158,974.00
by Glen Stephens The two day auction of Australian "Kangaroo" stamps by Shreves of New York in February 2007 set several world price records. Glen Stephens flew from
Australia to New York to cover the sale. This general overview attempts to give a "personal feel" for the occasion from a first-hand point of view.
Australian 1932 Postal Stamp Forgeries
by Alan Sparks Many forgeries of Australia’s rare stamps exist and this forging is still going on. In 1932 two of Australia’s stamps were forged with the intention
to defraud the Australian Post Office.
Australian Decimal FDC Guide
by David Edwards An illustrated guide to Australian Decimal First Day Covers.
This site aims to be a database of every FDC issued by Australia Post and private cover maker since decimal currency was introduced.
Australian Stamp Booklets
by Stephen R. Irwin Before Federation, New South Wales was the only state that had experimented with a stamp booklet which contained twelve 1d stamps on sale at 1/0½d.
The Commonwealth of Australia first issued stamp booklets in 1904, these contained stamps from the different State.
Books on Australian Postage Stamps & Australia Postal History
Australia New Zealand UK mails to 1880; Rates Routes and Ships Out and Home
by Colin Tabeart, self-published, 2004, 421pp, ISBN 0-9548407-0-4 Comprehensive postal history of packet mail between these three countries. Details all of the outbound and homebound sailing of vessels in
the 1860’s-70’s. Departure, arrival dates, maps and illustrations are included.
Australian Antarctic Postal History 1911-1965
by Roy M Milner, 1975, (also 1980 and 1986 printings)
Aerogrammes of Australia and its Dependencies 1944-1980,
by Robert C Stein, 188pp, 1985
Commercial Perfins of Australia
by John Grant & John Mathews, 1992, 294pp
The External Air Mails of Australia
by H C Baldwin, published by Francis J Field, 1966The Early Commonwealth Period and the Kangaroo and Map Series
published by the Australian Post Office, 1968
The First Postage Stamps of the Commonwealth of Australia 1901–1912
by Max Hooper, 1995, 56pp This work covers the neglected period of Australian philately during which stamps in the ‘Colonial’ designs were issued by the Federal Government.
These, and not the ‘Kangaroo and Map’ stamps are the first of the Commonwealth. A highly detailed study that contains much information unavailable elsewhere.
Kangaroos the last Victorian Issue
by G N Kellow, published by Richard C Peck, 1985, 141pp, ISBN 0949177032 Comprehensive monograph on the "Kangaroo on Map" stamps of Australia. Covers in detail the designs, proofs, dies, printing techniques, production of the stamps,
use for postal stationery and full details of quantities produced from the records of the Reserve Bank of Australia
The Postal History of the Australian Army during World War II
by P Collas, pub Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria, 1986, 255pp
The Postal History of Internees and Prisoners Of War In Australia During World War II.
by P Collas, pub The Royal Philatelic Society Of Victoria, 1982, 82pp
Postmarks of the Australian Forces from all Fronts 1939-1953
by Stephenson Stobbs, published by Harry Hayes, 1976
The Recess Imprints of John Ash
by Brian Pope, published by Fagott Press, 1975
Some Early Australian Commonwealth Postage Stamp Essays
by Jack Cato, published by Review Pub, 1963
COMMONWEALTH & AUSTRALIAN COLONIES
Australian Postage Stamps
by P Collas, published by The Jacaranda Press, 1965, 110pp General background information on the issue of the Australian Colonies and of the Commonwealth of Australia with chapters on postmarks, air mails,
postal stationery and philately in Australia etc.
Private Local Posts in Australia and the postage stamps they issued
THE AUSTRALASIAN NEW HEBRIDES COMPANY LIMITED
The Australasian New Hebrides Co had headquarters in Sydney and was subsidised by the governments of Victoria and New South Wales.
They carried mail privately to the islands of the New Henrides and amongst the islands. The company traded between 1887 and 1899.
Two stamps were produced in 1897. The islands called at were Anietyum, Aniwa, Aoba, Aurora, Epi, Erromanga, Futuna, Mai, Nguna, Petecost,
Tongariki, Tonga, Sandwich and Vannaleva.
Imperf stamps issued in 1854 inscribed "Forwarded by Burdell & Co's British & Australian Express. For forwarding and delivering Gold Dust, Specie,
Bankers, and other valuable Packages and Merchandise to Geelong, Sydney, Adelaide, Launceston, the Diggings, and England, Ireland and Scotland."
Very few copies of this stamp are known to exist today.
The Coolgardie Cycle Express was organised by James A Healey in 1893 following the discovery of gold in Coolgardie. The service was closed in December
1896 when the government post was established.
A service was started in February 1897 to carry letters from Lake Lefroy to Coolgardie and was closed with the opening of an official service in June 1897.
A total of 1, 000 stamps were printed with a face value of 6d, less than 50 copies of this stamp have survived. The stamps are inscribed Lake Lefroy Goldfield
Cycle Mail Western Australia.
Stamps inscribed "Murray S N Co / Victoria / N S Wales" were issued in 1872. Stamps issued were a ½d black, 1d red, 2d blue and 3d green.
These stamps were used on mail carried by McCullock's steamers on the River Murry.
6d stamps were also produced inscibed "W McCullock & Co Limited / Parcels Express"
Philatelic Society of South Australia Library
Ray Price, Librarian
P.O. Box 1937, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
Queensland Philatelic Council inc
Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria Library
Russell Turner, Librarian
General P.O. Box 2071, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
Australian Philatelic Society (AUSTRALIA)
of Australian Postage Stamps
Australian 1932 Postal Stamp Forgeries