1974 Australian Animals

These stamps, released in 1974, are part of Australia’s Post definitive series. They depict examples of Australia’s distinctive fauna. The Common Wombat, Brushtail Possum and Feather-tailed Gilder are marsupials — mammals that carry their young in a pouch.

The Feather-tailed Glider, the smallest of the glider possums of up to 80mm in length, can leap up to a metre or more. The membranes stretched between its limbs make flight possible, with the fringed tail acting as a rudder. It feeds mainly on insects and the nectar of eucalyptus and other blossoms.

The Brushtail Possum is a herbivorous creature the size of a cat and can be found across Australia.

The Common Wombat, which is shown moving through long grass on the stamp, is an amphibious, herbivores marsupial with shovel-like nails that enable it to make burrows up to 30 metres in length. They may grow up to 90 centimetres in length and weigh up to 45 kilos.

The Echidna is a monotreme — a mammal whose females lays eggs and nurse their young. During breeding season, the female develops a temporary fold of skin to carry their egg. When the egg hatches, the young is carried and suckled in this temporary pouch until their spines grow and become too uncomfortable for the mother. Their diet consists of ants and termites, which they scoop up with their long probing tongues.

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

Technical Details

Stamp design: Richard Bates

Denomination: 20c, 25c, 30c, 75c

Stamp size: 37.75mmx24.125mm (20c Wombat, 30c Brushtail Possum) 37.5mmx25mm (25c Spiny Anteater, 75c Feather-tailed Glider)

Perforations: 13 1/2

Printer: Note Printing Branch of the Reserve Bank of Australia

Printing process: Multi-colour Photogravure

Paper: Unwatermarked coasted paper incorporating luminescence

Issue date: 13 February 1974