Australia Post Collectable Stamps Norfolk Island 2023

Since 2016, Australia Post has issued stamps with Norfolk Island historic events, Fauna and Flora and many other themes.

Lost Birds of Norfolk Island.

On 31^st January 2023, the first Norfolk Island stamp was issued for this year. This series is named “Lost birds of Norfolk Island” and they feature lovely artwork of Norfolk Island birds that are now extinct. The set contains two stamps and Minisheet, the $1.20 stamp features the Norfolk Island Pigeon, and the $2.40 stamp features the Norfolk Island Kaka. The first day covers were postmarked, First Day of issue, 31 January 2023, Norfolk Island 2899 NSW. The artwork on the First Day Covers also includes two other extinct birds, the Norfolk Island Thrush, and the Long-tailed Triller.

Since European arrival in 1788, Norfolk Island has lost five endemic bird species and five subspecies. This stamp issue features two of the larger forest birds that once inhabited this South Pacific territory: the Norfolk Island Pigeon and Norfolk Island Kaka.

Stamp Minisheet and cover design: Sharon Rodziewicz, Australia Post Design Studio

Stamp and Minisheet illustrations: John Gerrard Keulemans, courtesy State Library Victoria

Cover illustration: Henrik Gronvold

https://auspost.com.au/.../lost-birds-of-norfolk-island

https://auspost.com.au/shop/collectables/stamp-issues/latest-stamp-issues

Last year there have been three series of postage stamps issued relating to Norfolk Island. In June 2022 a series relating to Norfolk Island birds, named the “Norfolk Island Morepork Owl back from the Brink”. It is always special to hear the call of the Morepork Owls as they were also close to becoming extinct like the Norfolk Island Kaka and Norfolk Island Pigeon featured on this new 2023 issue of postage stamps.

Lost Birds of Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island has an unfortunate record for avian extinctions, with the stamps featuring two of the 10 bird species long lost from the island territory.

The Norfolk Island Kaka (Nestor productus) was a large parrot, around 38 centimetres in length, closely related to New Zealand’s Kaka (N. meridionalis). It occurred on both Norfolk and Phillip Islands ad was last observed in the wild during the early decades of the 19^th century; the last known bird in captivity, in

London, survived until 1851. It is believed that habitat destruction were responsible for its disappearance. The Norfolk Island Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea was a subspecies of New Zealand’s native pigeon, the Kereru (H. novaeseelandiae). Particularly large at around 50 centimetres in length, this glossy and brightly coloured pigeon was once common and is thought to have become extinct around 1900. The most likely cause for its disappearance is hunting by both feral cats and humans. The Minisheet and First Day Cover over depict two other species no longer present, the Norfolk Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus poliocephalus) and Long-tailed Triller (Lalage leucopyga leucopyga), respectively.

Here are images of the new postage stamps. If you wish to purchase these postage stamps, contact your local Australian Post shop, or follow the links above

Betty Matthews

February 2023