Australia 1983 Complete Year Book

The Collection of 1983 Australians Stamps Issued From The Australia Post Office – mint

Full year issued Stamps included:

Historic Fire Engines

Designer: Alan Puckett – Printer: Cambec Press

The designs for this issue are four historic fire engines used in Australia, the 27c, built to spec’s supplied by the Sydney Metropolitan Fire Brigade, this unit was horse-drawn, then converted to be towed behind a vehicle, used until the 1930’s; 40c, converted from French Hotchkiss Touring cars to a hose carrier by the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade, a ladder & rotary pump was later added; 65c, built in the United States & imported for use by the New South Wales Fire Brigade,; 75c, this “wagon” contained a hand-operated pump, the unit pictured was used by the Victorian gold town of Scandinavian Crescent, later renamed Talbot.

Issued 12 January with perforation 13¼ x 13¾

624-1-1 27c 1891 Shand Mason Steam Fire Engine, withdrawn on 31 August, 1983;

625-1-1 40c 1914 Hotchkiss Fire Engine, withdrawn on 31 August, 1983;

626-1-1 65c 1929 Ahrens-Fox PS2 Fire Engine, withdrawn on 31 August, 1983;

627-1-1 75c 1851 Merryweather Manual Fire Engine, withdrawn on 31 August, 1983

Australia Day

Designer: John Spatchurst – Printer: Leigh-Mardon Pty. Ltd.

The designs for this Se-tenant pair show, H.M.S. “Sirius” & H.M. Brig “Supply”, known as the two best ships of the “First Fleet”, Sirius being the flagship, but Captain Arthur Phillip transferred to the Supply after leaving Capetown, South Africa.

Issued 26 January with perforation 14½

628-1-1 27c H.M.S. Sirius, withdrawn on 31 August, 1983;

629-1-1 27c H.M. Supply, withdrawn on 31 August, 1983;

628-1-1_629-1-1 SS Se-tenant Pair

Australia – New Zealand

Closer Economic Relationship

ANZCER

Designers: Garry Emery – Printer: Cambec Press

This issue was released to commemorate the trade agreement between Australia & New Zealand (ANZCER).

Issued 2 February with perforation 13¾ x 13¼

630-1-1 27c ANZCER Symbol, withdrawn on 31 August, 1983

Australian Animal Definitives

Series 2, Part 3

Amphibians & Reptiles

Designer: Beverley Bruen – Printer: Cambec Press

This is part of the second issue, part 3 in this series & shows four species,1c, Lace Monitor or Goanna; 70c, Crucifix Toad, also called the Catholic Frog or Holy Cross Toad; 85c, Centralian Blue-tongued Lizard, this lizard produces live young; 95c, Thorny Devil, although it looks ferocious it is quite harmless, there have been a number of Australian Animal releases these include; Series 1, July, 1981; Series 2, Part 1, April, 1982; Series 2, Part 2, June, 1982; Series 2, Part 3, February, 1983 (below); Series 3, Part 1, June, 1983 (six issues down); Series 3, Part 2, October, 1983 (ten issues down).

Issued 2 February with perforation 13¼ x 13½

631-1-1 1c Lace Monitor;

632-1-1 70c Crucifix Toad;

633-1-1 85c Centralian Blue-tongued Lizard;

634-1-1 95c Thorny Devil

Commonwealth Day

Designer: Garry Emery – Printer: Leigh-Mardon Pty. Ltd.

This release is the result of a decision by the CHOGM Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Melbourne in 1981, that all member nations produce a set of stamps to commemorate Commonwealth Day, every five years, the four designs are of a pair of hands enclosing a dove or doves with the themes, 27c, Equality & Dignity; 27c, Social Justice & Co-operation; 27c, Liberty & Freedom; 75c, Peace & Harmony.

Issued 9 March with perforation 14½

635-1-1 27c Equality & Dignity, withdrawn on 30 September, 1983;

636-1-1 27c Social Justice & Co-operation, withdrawn on 30 September, 1983;

637-1-1 27c Liberty & Freedom, withdrawn on 30 September, 1983;

638-1-1 75c Peace & Harmony, withdrawn on 30 September, 1983

Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II

Designer: John Richards – Printer: Leigh-Mardon Pty. Ltd.

This issue celebrates the 57th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, the design is of the H.M.V. “Britannia” (Her Majesty’s Yacht), passing the Sydney Opera House.

Issued 20 April with perforation 14½

639-1-1 27c H.M.V. Britannia, withdrawn on 30 November 1983

World Communications Year

Designer: Brian Sadgrove – Printer: Cambec Press

This release celebrates World Communications Year, the design is Symbolic of Communications Networks.

Issued 18 May with perforation 13¼ x 13¾

640-1-1 27c Communication Network Symbolism, withdrawn on 30 November, 1983

St. John Ambulance Centenary

Designers: Tim McCaulay – Printer: Cambec Press

The design shows the Badge of the Order of St. John.

Issued 8 June with perforation 13¾ x 13¼

641-1-1 27c Badge of the Order of St. John, withdrawn on 30 December, 1983

50th Anniversary of Australian Jaycees

Designers: Brian Clinton – Printer: Cambec Press

This issue celebrates 50 years of Australian Jaycees.

Issued 8 June with perforation 13¼ x 13¾

642-1-1 27c Australian Jaycees, withdrawn on 30 December, 1983

Australian Animal Definitives

Series 3, Part 1

Butterflies

Designer: Charles McCubbin – Printer: as below Leigh-Mardon Pty. Ltd. & Cambec Press

This is the third issue, part 1 of this series & shows nine species, 4c, Regent Skipper (Eusclemon rafflesia rafflesia); 10c, Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus euphorion); 20c, Macleay’s Swallowtail (Graphium Macleayanum macleayanum); 27c, Ulysses (Papilio ulysses joesa); 35c, Blue Tiger (Danatus hamatus); 45c, Big Greasy (Cressida cressida cressida); 60c, Wood White (Delias eganippe); 80c, Amaryllis Azure (Ogyris Amaryllis); $1, Sword Grass Brown (Tisiphone Abeona), there have been a number of Australian Animal releases these include; Series 1, July, 1981; Series 2, Part 1, April, 1982; Series 2, Part 2, June, 1982; Series 2, Part 3, February, 1983 (six issues up); Series 3, Part 1, June, 1983 (below); Series 3, Part 2, October, 1983 (four issues down).

Issued 15 June with perforation as below

643-1-1 4c Regent Skipper, perforation 13½ x 13¼;

644-1-1 10c Cairns Birdwing, perforation 13½ x 13¼;

645-1-1 20c Macleay’s Swallowtail, perforation 13½ x 13¼, withdrawn 31 December, 1985;

646-1-1 27c Ulysses, perforation 14½ x 14, withdrawn 30 April, 1984;

647-1-1 35c Blue Tiger, perforation 13½ x 13¼;

648-1-1 45c Big Greasy, perforation 13½ x 13¼;

649-1-1 60c Wood White, perforation 13½ x 13¼;

650-1-1 80c Amaryllis Azure, perforation 13½ x 13¼, withdrawn 31 December, 1985;

651-1-1 $1 Sword Grass Brown, perforation 13½ x 13¼

Australian Folklore

Series 2

The Sentimental Bloke

Designer: Brian Clinton – Printer: Leigh-Mardon Pty. Ltd.

This is Series 2 of the Australian Folklore Series, this story was written by C. J. Dennis, Poet & Journalist in 1909 with the designs being based on stills from the 1918 silent film version of the book, a Bloke is a male adult of the genus homo; a Coot is a person of no account; Hitched is entangled in the bonds of holy matrimony; Intro is an introduction; to Dip the Lid is to raise your hat; Mooch is to saunter about aimlessly; Orfis or Office is to give a warning or a word of advice; Shick is intoxicated or drunk; Strike is the innocuous remnant of a hardy curse & Smooge is to flatter or fawn over; to bill and coo.  There were two issues of the Australian Folklore Series; Series 1,  May, 1980; Series 2, August, 1983 (below).

Issued 3 August with perforation 14½

652-1-1 27c The Bloke, withdrawn on 30 March, 1984;

653-1-1 27c Doreen – The Intro, withdrawn on 30 March, 1984;

654-1-1 27c The Stror ‘at Coot, withdrawn on 30 March, 1984;

655-1-1 27c Hitched, withdrawn on 30 March, 1984;

656-1-1 27c The Mooch o ‘life, withdrawn on 30 March, 1984

652-1-1_656-1-1 SS Se-tenant Strip of Five

Christmas 1983

Part 1

Designer: Dianne Head – Printer: Cambec Press

This Christmas issue is in two parts, Part 1, September (below) & Part 2, November (three issues down), there are three stamps in the issue, with one shown here, the 35c, was designed by 9 year old Dianne Head, produced for a design competition in N.S.W. Primary Schools conducted by Australia Post.

Issued 14 September with perforation 13¼ x 13½

658-1-1 35c Christmas Kookaburra, withdrawn on 29 June, 1984

Explorers of Australia

Designer: Dianne Quinn Typographer: Jon Quinn – Printer: Leigh-Mardon Pty. Ltd.

This issue gives credit to four of Australia’s most daring inland explorers, Robert O’Hara Burke & William John Wills; Alexander Forrest; Ludwig Leichhardt; Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelecki, all four stamps were .

Issued 26 September with perforation 14½ x 14¼

660-1-1 30c Robert O’Hara Burke & William John Wills, withdrawn on 30 March,1984;

661-1-1 30c Alexander Forrest, withdrawn on 30 March,1984;

662-1-1 30c Ludwig Leichhardt, withdrawn on 30 March,1984;

663-1-1 30c Sir Paul de Strzelecki, withdrawn on 30 March,1984

Australian Animal Definitives

Series 3, Part 2

Butterflies

Designer: Charles McCubbin – Printer: Leigh-Mardon Pty. Ltd.

This is part 2 of the third issue of this series, containing one stamp, the 30c, Chlorinda Hairstreak (Pseudalmenus chlorinda zephyrus), there have been a number of Australian Animal releases these include; Series 1, July, 1981; Series 2, Part 1, April, 1982; Series 2, Part 2, June, 1982; Series 2, Part 3, February, 1983 (ten issues up); Series 3, Part 1, June, 1983 (four issues up); Series 3, Part 2, October, 1983 (below).

Issued 24 October with perforation 14½ x 14

664-1-1 30c Chlorinda Hairstreak

Christmas 1983

Part 2

Designers: as below – Printer: Cambec Press Pty. Ltd.

This Christmas issue is in two parts, Part 1, September (three issues up) & Part 2, November (below), there are three stamps in the issue, with two shown here, the 24c, was designed by a 5 year old Holly Alvarez & the 85c, was designed by an 11 year old Justine Jacobi, both produced for a design competition in N.S.W. Primary Schools conducted by Australia Post.

Issued 2 November with perforation 13¼ x 13½

657-1-1 24c Nativity Scene;

659-1-1 85c Holiday Makers & Santa Claus