Australia

Before 1960s

Australia in the period before the 1960s functioned as a dominion within the British Commonwealth, having federated in 1901 while retaining strong constitutional and cultural ties to Britain. Its political system was stable and democratic, and its economy was largely driven by agriculture, mining, and close trade links with the United Kingdom.

Australia produced a distinctive and highly regarded range of postage stamps during this era. Early issues prominently featured King George V, alongside the iconic “Kangaroo and Map” series which emphasized national identity over royal imagery. Subsequent stamps included King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as themes depicting industry, wartime efforts, and Australian landscapes, all rendered with strong engraving traditions.

The country used the British-based currency system of pounds, shillings, and pence during this period. Stamp denominations reflect this structure, underscoring Australia’s economic alignment with Britain prior to decimalisation in 1966.

1916 Australia - 9 Pence - Roo & Map - Violet

First issued: 20 Jul 19169 Australian PenniesKangaroo IssueDesigned by Blamire Young & Samuel ReadingSG: AU 39 Colnect Link
Australia's first stamps to feature any kind of symbols or artwork other than face value numerals came out in 1913.Printed under the labour government of PM Andrew Fisher - these had deliberately avoided imagery of the British Monarch out of a strong (and then controversial) republican sentiment. These stamps featured the map outline of Australia along with a sketch of a Kangaroo.It was only in 1914 under the Liberal party of PM Joseph Cook that the profile of King George V was introduced on postage stamps. For the next few decades, Australia continued to print both monarch profiles as well as other stamps.This particular stamp came out as a 1916 reprint

1922 Australia - 1 Penny - Violet King George V

First issued: 12 Feb 19221 Australian PennyKing George V IssueNote Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, MelbourneSG: AU 57 Colnect Link
Australia's first stamps - printed under the labour government of PM Andrew Fisher - had deliberately avoided imagery of the British Monarch out of a strong (and then controversial) republican sentiment. However, in 1913, the Liberal party under PM Joseph Cook decided to introduce the profile of King George V on postage stamps. For the next few decades, Australia continued to print both monarch profiles as well as other stamps, although the monarchs remained relegated to lower value stamps.The postmark indicates that this was used for registered mail. The date is 6 November 1922 whil the bottom says "Perth W.A." for Western Australia.

1932 Australia - 1 Shilling - Green Lyrebird

First issued: 15 Feb 19321 Australian ShillingWildlife Definitives (1932)Note Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne; Designed by Frank ManleySG: AU 140 Colnect LinkThis stamp sits at the intersection of art, nature, and economic reality during the Great Depression. Unlike the monarch-heavy issues before it, this stamp leans fully into Australian identity, showcasing one of the most extraordinary birds on Earth.The lyrebird is famous for its mimicry — it can imitate other birds, mechanical sounds, even chainsaws (in modern times). In the 1930s, it was already seen as a uniquely Australian marvel, almost mythical in reputation. So putting it on a high-value stamp was a deliberate move: this was Australia saying, “we’re not just part of the Empire — we have our own wonders.”The design itself is beautifully theatrical in the way the tail feathers fan out — almost like a stage performance. The 1 shilling denomination was used for heavier parcels, bulk mail and international mail. The cancellation is a slogan postmark that says "TAKE CARE OF PUBLIC TELEPHONES".

1935 Australia - 2 Pence - King George V Silver Jubilee

First issued: 02 May 19352 Australian PenniesKing George V Silver Jubilee SeriesNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 156 Colnect Link
This stamp commemorates the Silver Jubilee of King George V. It formed part of a wider Empire-wide set released across British territories, reflecting the shared imperial identity that still shaped Australia’s political and cultural life in the interwar period.The design depicts King George V in military dress on horseback, with fine horizontal line background and two-colour effect giving the stamp a crisp, engraved appearance despite being typographically printed.The Postmark reads 8 August 1935 with the place as Wauchope in NSW.

1936 Australia - 2 Pence - Tasmania Link

First issued: 01 Apr 19362 Australian PenniesTasmania Telephone Link SeriesNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 159 Colnect Link
This stamp commemorates the opening of the submarine telephone cable linking mainland Australia to Tasmania in 1936, a major step in integrating the island more closely with the rest of the country. Before this, communication relied on slower and less reliable methods. The issue reflects the broader interwar focus on national infrastructure, where improved communications were seen as essential to economic coordination and administrative unity.The design is highly symbolic, featuring a classical female figure emerging from the sea and drawing a cable between the two landfalls at Apollo Bay in Victoria and Stanley in Tasmania.

1936 Australia - 2 Pence - Adelaide Proclamation Tree

First issued: 03 Aug 19362 Australian PenniesCentenary of South Australia SeriesNote Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne; Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 161 Colnect Link
This stamp commemorates the centenary of the proclamation of South Australia in 1836, when the colony was formally established as a planned free settlement rather than a penal colony. The event took place near what became Adelaide, and symbolised a different model of colonisation based on systematic land settlement and civilian migration. By 1936, the centenary was used to highlight South Australia’s distinct origins and its development into an organised urban and agricultural society.The design centres on the so-called Proclamation Tree, the site associated with the original ceremony, linking it visually to both the early encampment of settlers and the later city of Adelaide shown in the background. This contrast between tents and established buildings compresses a century of development into a single scene. The composition has a narrative quality, moving from foundation to maturity, while the detailed engraving and decorative framing reflect the formal style typical of Australian commemoratives of the 1930s.

1937 Australia - 2 Pence - Gov. Phillip at Sydney Cove

First issued: 01 Oct 19372 Australian Pennies150th Anniversary of New South WalesNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 193 Colnect Link
This stamp commemorates the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the first British settlement at Sydney Cove in 1788 under Governor Arthur Phillip. It reflects the official narrative of Australia’s foundation as it was presented in the 1930s, focusing on the arrival of British authority and the beginning of organised colonial administration. The design depicts Phillip and his officers at Sydney Cove, set within a wooded landscape that suggests the unfamiliar environment encountered by the First Fleet. The scene is composed in a formal, almost theatrical manner. As with many issues of the period, the engraving style is detailed but controlled, presenting a simplified and idealised version of events. An interesting aspect is how the image omits the presence of Indigenous Australians.The post mark is dated 19 Nov 1937 with the place as Karkoo, a small town in the Eyre Peninsula.

1940 Australia - 1 & 2 Pence - Nurse, Sailor, Soldier, Aviator

First issued: 15 Jul 19401 & 2 Australian PenniesAustralian Imperial Forces SeriesNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D Manley1d - SG: AU 196 Colnect Link2d - SG: AU 197 Colnect Link
These stamps form part of the Australian Imperial Forces series issued in 1940, shortly after Australia entered the World War 2. They present a unified image of the nation’s armed services at a time of mobilisation, combining figures from the army, navy, and air force alongside a nurse.

1942 Australia - 1 1/2 pennies - Queen Elizabeth (Wife of King George VI)

First issued: 1 Dec 19421 1/2 Australian PenniesKing George VI Definitives Fourth Series (1941-44)Note Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne; Designed by Frank ManleySG AU 204 Colnect Link
This is the first time an Australian stamp featured someone from the Royal family other than the monarch. Queen Elizabeth (the wife of King George VI and mother of the future Queen Elizabeth II) had become a powerful symbol of British resilience during the Blitz. She famously refused to leave London during bombing raids, and her image here was meant to evoke steadiness and morale across the Empire — including Australia, which was deeply involved in the war by 1942.The denomination — 1½d — was primarily used for printed matter, postcards, and certain domestic postal rates, making it a very practical, everyday stamp. Wartime conditions meant Australia increasingly relied on domestic printing rather than British firms. The engraving style is quite crisp and classical — Frank Manley’s work — but there are variations in shade (from deep green to slightly duller tones) because of wartime ink and paper constraints. The Post mark is a rectangular slogan cancellation that says "POST EARLY EACH DAY".

1945 Australia - 2 1/2 Pence - Governer General Arrival

First issued: 19 Feb 19452 1/2 Australian PenniesArrival of Governor General SeriesNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 209 Colnect Link
This stamp marks the arrival of the Prince Henry and Princess Alice, the Duke & Duchess of Gloucester in 1945, when the Duke was appointed Governor-General in the final months of World War 2. The appointment itself was notable, as it was one of the few occasions a member of the royal family served directly as Governor-General. Prince Henry was the younger brother of then King George VI.The design presents paired portraits of the Duke and Duchess in uniformed and formal attire, framed by a crown and decorative foliage.

1953 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Butter

First issued: 11 Feb 19533 1/2 Australian PenniesProduce Food! SeriesNote Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne; Designed by George LisssendenSG: AU 258 Colnect Link
This stamp comes from the “Produce Food” series issued in 1953, reflecting Australia’s continued emphasis on agricultural output in the 50s. Food production had been heavily promoted during and after the Second World War to support both domestic needs and exports, particularly to Britain, which still depended on imports under long-term trade arrangements. Dairy products such as butter were a major part of this effort, making the subject both economically and politically significant.The design shows cows being milked using mechanised equipment inside a modern dairy, highlighting the shift from traditional farming to more industrialised methods. The bold “Produce Food!” slogan at the top is unusually direct for a postage stamp.

1953 Australia - 3 1/2 pennies - Carmine Red Queen Elizabeth II

First issued: 21 Apr 19533 1/2 Australian PenniesQueen Elizabeth II Definitives 1953-56SG AU 263 Colnect Link
Note Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne; Designed by Frank Manley, Engraved by Donald Cameron, Based on photograph by Dorothy WildingSG: AU 263 Issued just months after Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952 and around the time of her coronation in June 1953, this was the first stamp in Australia to feature the Queen. It based on the famous photographic work of Dorothy Wilding, whose elegant, slightly idealised portrait became the standard royal image across dozens of countries.The cancellation is a slogan postmark that says "TAKE CARE OF PUBLIC TELEPHONES".

1953 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Queen Elizabeth 2 Coronation

First issued: 25 May 19533 1/2 Australian PenniesCoronation of Queen Elizabeth IINote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 264 Colnect Link
This stamp was issued to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. For Australia, it reinforced its status as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth, at a time when ties to Britain remained central to political and cultural identity. The coronation itself was a major global occasion, widely followed through radio and the newly emerging medium of television, and commemorative stamps like this formed part of a broader imperial observance.The design is formal and ceremonial, combining a crowned portrait of the young queen with the inscription of the coronation date. An interesting detail is how closely the style aligns with other Commonwealth coronation issues, reflecting a coordinated visual language across different countries.

1954 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Royal Visit

First issued: 02 Feb 19543 1/2 Australian PenniesRoyal Visit of Queen Elizabeth II & Duke of EdinburghNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 272 Colnect Link
This stamp commemorates the 1954 visit of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, the first time a reigning British monarch had visited Australia. The tour was a major national event, attracting large crowds and extensive media coverage, and it marked a moment when Australia’s identity was still closely tied to the monarchy and the wider Commonwealth. Coming just a year after the coronation, the visit reinforced the personal presence of the Crown in a way that had not been experienced before.The design presents conjoined portraits of the Queen and Prince Philip in a straightforward, photographic style, emphasising recognition rather than symbolism.

1954 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Centenary of Telegraph System

First issued: 07 Apr 19543 1/2 Australian PenniesNote Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne; Designed by PE Morris & Ralph Malcolm WarnerSG: AU 275 Colnect Link
This stamp commemorates the centenary of the electric telegraph in Australia, first established in 1854. The telegraph transformed communication across the colonies, replacing slow and uncertain mail carriage with near-instant transmission of messages. By the late 19th century, an expanding network of telegraph lines had linked major cities and remote regions, playing a crucial role in administration, commerce, and news dissemination across a vast and sparsely populated continent.The design combines key elements of telegraphy: a pole with insulators and wires, and a Morse key in the foreground, representing both the infrastructure and the act of communication.

1954 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Antarctic Research

First issued: 17 Nov 19543 1/2 Australian PenniesNote Printing branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne; Designed by Frank Manley & George LissendenSG: AU 279 Colnect Link
This stamp reflects Australia’s growing involvement in Antarctic exploration and scientific research in the post-war period, particularly through the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE), established in 1947. By the early 1950s, Australia had begun to assert a more active presence in Antarctica, both scientifically and territorially, operating research stations and contributing to the broader international effort to study the continent.The design is unusually dense and emblematic, built around a polar projection map of Antarctica surrounded by a ring of native wildlife including penguins, seals, seabirds, and marine life combining geography and biology in one composition.

1955 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Cobb & Co. Mail Coach

First issued: 06 Jul 19553 1/2 Australian PenniesPioneers of Australia's Coaching Era SeriesNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 284 Colnect Link
This stamp depicts a Cobb & Co. mail coach, representing the overland mail services that connected remote settlements across Australia in the 19th century. Before the expansion of railways and telegraph lines, these horse-drawn coaches were essential for carrying mail, passengers, and news across vast distances, often through difficult and isolated terrain. Cobb & Co., established in the 1850s, became synonymous with this network, particularly during the gold rush era when rapid communication between towns was economically critical.The design shows a coach in motion across an open landscape with multiple horses pulling the vehicle at pace. The composition evokes the challenges of early inland transport, where reliability depended on coordination, endurance, and regular staging posts.

1955 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Centenary of 1st Stamp of South Australia

First issued: 17 Oct 19553 1/2 Australian PenniesNote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne, Designed by David CameronSG: AU 288 Colnect Link
This stamp marks the centenary of the first postage stamp issued by South Australia in 1855, one of the earliest colonial postal systems on the continent. The 1955 commemorative looks back to a time when each colony operated independently before the unified Commonwealth system replaced them in 1913.The design is effectively a “stamp on stamp,” reproducing the classic side-profile of Queen Victoria from the original South Australian issue. Its circular framing and dense engraved-style line work deliberately echo 19th-century aesthetics, even though it is a modern mid-20th century production.

1956 Australia - 3 1/2 Pence - Centenary of Responsible Government

First issued: 26 Sep 19563 1/2 Australian PenniesCoronation of Queen Elizabeth IINote Printing Branch, Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne Designed by Frank D ManleySG: AU 289 Colnect Link
This stamp commemorates the centenary of 'Responsible Government' in the Australian colonies, beginning in 1856 when New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania were granted self-governing institutions under the British Crown. It marked a significant constitutional shift, transferring day-to-day political authority from appointed governors to locally elected parliaments, while still retaining imperial oversight. The design brings together symbols of both imperial authority and colonial identity. The facing portraits of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II frame the composition, linking the origins of responsible government with its modern continuation. Between them are the emblems of the three colonies—New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania—arranged in a balanced, heraldic style.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse