These stamps depict the pastoral history of Australia, between 1810 and 1850. It features themes of European settlement in Australia from immigrants, pioneers, squatters, shepherds, and explorers. Influenced by engravings, watercolours and topographical drawings of the period, the top of the of the se-tenant strip depicts a panoramic view, starting from the seacoast to the inland desert interior.

Beneath, the first stamp features an immigrant ship at a wharf in the 1830s when immigration form the British Isles to Australia began. The second stamp shows a simple wattle and daub hut, a typical home of the early pioneers of the era. Two indigenous Australians are also seen in the foreground. The pioneers had a mixed relations with them, on hand they fought over land use and on the other the indigenous also led to good land and water courses. The huts then developed into homesteads in late 1830s, when squatters took up land with increasing prosperity from food and wool production.

A lone shepherd with his herd is then depicted on the fourth stamp. They were usually assigned convicts who were pivotal to the growth of the Australian wool industry. And lastly an explorer searching the new territory.

While these stamps celebrate the prosperity of Australia’s pasture, it came at a cost. Indigenous Australians had their land stolen from them and the natural ecosystem was disrupted and cleared for agricultural purposes.

Technical Details

Stamp design: David Lancashire

Issue date: 10 May 1989

You may receive a stamp strip or loose stamps depending on availability.

This stamp issue focuses on Australian technological innovations including the bionic ear, microchips, robotics, and ceramics. Selected in consultation with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) the subjects represent four key technology areas outlined in the federal government’s National Technology Scheme.

The bionic ear is one of Australia’s best-known inventions. This iteration was developed by the University of Melbourne and manufactured by Cochlear. It was revolutionary when it came out as its 22 platinum electrodes which stimulates the nerve fibres allows the wearer to hear wider variety of sounds and differentiate between them.

The microchip featured on the stamp is a VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) chip designed and manufactured by Austek Microsystems while a  robotic gripper from Machine Dynamics is featured on the robotics stamp.

The ceramics stamp shows a ceramic air bearing, made from partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ). PSZ is tougher, lighter and more durable than steel. These are manufactured by Nilcra Ceramics.

These stamps can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten up your cards, letters, and parcels.

You will receive 4x stamps with a total face value of $2.21.

Technical Details

Stamp design: Otto Schmidinger and Christine Stead

Issue date: 19 August 1987

These stamps celebrate agricultural shows, they give city dwellers the chance to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the country.

The first agricultural show was established in 1822 in Hobart by the newly formed Van Diemen’s Land Agricultural society. The organisers had ambitious aims that extended far beyond farming — they aspired to ‘improve moral habits’ of Australia. Hence the prizes offered included ‘best conducted convict, male and female’ as well as the best categories of sheep, cattle, boar, acre of wheat and so on.

Today there are more than 550 agricultural shows held annually across Australia. Events you may see at the show include grand parades, dare-devil acts and stunt drivers in the main arena as well as industry and government displays, farming demonstrations, arts and craft and animal nurseries. Amusements rides also make for a good time.

The design has a distinctly rural feel, from which David Lancashire took Inspiration from a visit to a small country show in Red Hill.

They can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten up your cards, letters, and parcels.

You will receive 1 of each stamp pictured with a total face value of $2.91.

Technical Details

Stamp design: David Lancashire

Issue date: 10 April 1987

Alex Stitt was an Australian cartoonist who works spans animated commercials, film graphics and titles, exhibition, and book design. He’s best known for his ‘Life. Be in it.’ Campaign, an iconic animated tv ad that every Australian should know, even if you weren’t born in the 1970s.

Following the health promotion theme, Australia Post released a series of stamps on community health in 1990s. They utilised Stitt’s whimsical good humoured designs to cover four subjects: smoking, alcohol, nutrition and screening.

Technical Details

Stamp design: Alex Stitt

Issue date: 14 March 1990

The Christmas 1990 stamps feature a bush nativity theme. On the 43c stamp the southern cross shines over baby Jesus who lies on a bed of hay surrounded by Australian animals. A large koala looms protectively while a baby koala and young kangaroo nestle close. A row of eucalyptus in the background is silhouetted against the night sky.On the 38c stamp the soft pink glow of dawn illuminates the stamp. Two kookaburras sit on an eucalypt branch with their gifts — traditional containers of gold, frankincense and myrrh, surrounded by Christmas decorations.On the 80c stamp a possum perches on acacia foliage twined with Christmas tinsel. The southern cross also appears in the night sky.

Technical Details

Stamp design: Marg Towt

Issue date: 31 October 1990

A series of stamps showcasing light-prop Australian aircraft.

These stamps can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten up your cards, letters, and parcels.

You will receive 4x stamps with a total face value of $1.67

Orchidaceae and Asteraceae are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with over 28,000 species. Of these, Australia has about 700 orchid species. They range from the flamboyant and spectacular tropical species to the smaller intriguing terrestrials of the more temperature south. Their geographical isolation makes them unique to Australia.

Four Australian native orchids are featured on this stamp issue. The Pink Emerald Orchid (Elythranthera emarginata) on the 36c stamp is an enamel orchid endemic to Western Australia. The 55c stamp features the Blue Antler Orchid (Dendrobium nindii). It grows in Queensland, high up in the trees where there is light and movement. The plant can reach a height of up to two metres.

The Duck Orchid (Caleana major) on the 90c stamp has a highly touch-sensitive lip that temporarily traps insects to gather its pollen as it climbs out, while the Queen of Sheba (Thelymitra variegata) is featured on the $1 stamp.

These stamps can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten up your cards, letters, and parcels.

Technical Details

Stamp design: Otto Schmidinger and Christine Stead

These stamps pay tribute to the famous Australian aviators Henry Hawker, Bert Hinkler, Charles Kingsford Smith, and Charles Ulm.

The mini sheet celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first Trans-Pacific flight, where Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm left Oakland, California, in the aircraft ‘Southern Cross’ bound for Brisbane, Australia, via Hawaii and Fiji.

These stamps can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten up your cards, letters, and parcels.

You will receive one of each loose stamp, plus the mini sheet pictured.

I must admit they are a bit on the ugly side (in my personal opinion, alas beauty is in the eye of the beholder). In this pack you will receive a random assortment of stamps of varying face values. They can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten/ ugly up your cards, letters and parcels.

• $500 face value

• Denominations between 1c and $20, these are randomly selected

• Mint with gum on the back, may be hinged

• May show signs of age such as rust stains

• Can be used for postage or as a collectible

• Not sorted, all denominations are mixed together

• May be loose stamps, sheets, post office packs, mini sheets, booklets, it’s a mystery!

Here’s the international postage edition of my mystery packs. In this pack you will receive a random assortment of stamps of varying face values. They can be used within Australia for posting your cards, letters and parcels overseas.

• $200 face value

• Denominations between 5c and $20, these are randomly selected

• Mint with gum on the back, may be hinged

• May show signs of age such as rust stains

• Can be used for postage or as a collectible

• Not sorted, all denominations are mixed together

• May be loose stamps, sheets, post office packs, mini sheets, booklets, it’s a mystery!

I must admit they are a bit on the ugly side (in my personal opinion, alas beauty is in the eye of the beholder). In this pack you will receive a random assortment of stamps of varying face values. They can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten/ ugly up your cards, letters and parcels.

• $50 face value

• Denominations between 1c and $20, these are randomly selected

• Mint with gum on the back, may be hinged

• May show signs of age such as rust stains

• Can be used for postage or as a collectible

• Not sorted, all denominations are mixed together

• May be loose stamps, sheets, post office packs, mini sheets, booklets, it’s a mystery!

I must admit they are a bit on the ugly side (in my personal opinion, alas beauty is in the eye of the beholder). In this pack you will receive a random assortment of stamps of varying face values. They can be used within Australia for domestic and international postage to brighten/ ugly up your cards, letters and parcels.

• $200 face value

• Denominations between 1c and $20, these are randomly selected

• Mint with gum on the back, may be hinged

• May show signs of age such as rust stains

• Can be used for postage or as a collectible

• Not sorted, all denominations are mixed together

• May be loose stamps, sheets, post office packs, mini sheets, booklets, it’s a mystery!