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Overview

The Australian Antarctic Territory is located 3,000 kilometres to the south of the Australian continent. The huge continent of Antarctica occupies 13.5 million square kilometres and of this area the vast Australian Antarctic Territory makes up around six million square kilometres. This region, almost entirely covered with permanent ice and snow, is equivalent to around 75 per cent of the land mass of Australia.
East Antarctica makes up two-thirds of the Antarctic continent and includes the 5.9 million square kilometres of the Australian Antarctic Territory. The East Antarctic ice sheet flows off the Antarctic continent into the surrounding Southern Ocean. Many species, including penguins, seals, seabirds, corals and fish rely on this pristine environment for survival.

This stamp issue features several deep sea creatures that contribute to the unique biodiversity of the waters off East Antarctica.  These are:

  • $1 Antarctic sea star (Odontaster validus)
  • $1 Antarctic neosquid (Alluroteuthis antarcticus)
  • $2 Pogonophryne ssp. and Antarctic pink anemone (Urticinopsis antarctica)
  • $2 Dorid nudibranch (Tritoniella belli) and Deep sea bryozoan

Designer

Stacey Zass, page 12 Design

Products released in this issue

  • First day cover (blank, gummed, minisheet)
  • Maxicards
  • Minisheet
  • Stamp pack
  • Postal and numismatic cover

Technical specifications

Issue  date7 March 2017
Issue withdrawal date30 September 2017
Denominations2 x $1, 1 x $2, 1 x $3
Stamp designStacey Zass, page 12 Desig
Product designJohn White
PrinterEgo
Paper - gummedTullis Russell Red Phos
Printing processOffset lithography
Stamp size35mm x 35mm
Minisheet size (mm)170mm x 80mm
Perforations14.28 x 14.28
Sheet layoutModule of 50
FDI postmarkKingston TAS 7050
FDI withdrawal date4 April 2017

Related stamp issues

  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands: Reef Manta Ray

    Issue date: 18 May 2021

    Cocos (Keeling) Islands: Reef Manta Ray

  • Norfolk Island Ocean Oddities

    Issue date: 14 July 2020

    Norfolk Island Ocean Oddities

  • Sustainable Fish

    Issue date: 14 March 2019

    Sustainable Fish

  • April 2018 Norfolk Island Wrasses

    Issue date: 30 April 2018

    Norfolk Island Wrasses

This content was produced at the time of the stamp issue release date and will not be updated.