The AAT consists of all islands and
territories south of latitude 60°S and between longitudes 45° and 160° east
except for the French sector of Terre Adélie, which comprises the islands and
territories south of 60°S latitude and between longitudes 136° and 142° east.
The AAT is the single largest sector of the continent and covers much of east
Antarctica. There are three stations
(Mawson, Davis and Casey), plus various summer bases and temporary field camps.
There is a temporary population of scientists, ranging from about 70 in winter
to 200 in summer.
Sealing vessels from a number of countries, notably Britain but also
including Australia, visited the Antarctic waters during the 19th century. From
the early 20th century serious exploration took off, and Douglas Mawson reached
the magnetic South Pole in 1909. Various territorial claims were later made and
the Australian Antarctic Territory was transferred to Australian authority in
1933 by the British government through an imperial order in council. The Australian
Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act was passed in the same year, and in 1936 the
governor-general put the order into force by proclamation.
Mawson Station (named after the explorer) was set up in February 1954
by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions. Davis Station (named
after Mawson’s second-in-command, Captain John King Davis) was set up in 1957;
Casey Station (named after a former governor-general of Australia, Lord Casey)
in 1969. An earlier station, Wilkes, was made inoperable by snow and ice
inundation, and closed.
The Territory is administered by the Australian Antarctic Division on
behalf of the minister for the environment and heritage. Australia is a party
to the Antarctic Treaty. A Protocol on Environmental Protection was added to
the Antarctic Treaty in 1991, making Antarctica a natural reserve, devoted to
peace and science.
Capital: -
Government:
Area: 5.888.800
km²
Population: 70 to 200 (2008)
Currency: Australian dollar (100 cents)
Internet TLD: -
Dialling code: +672
Links
Flag of
The website of the Philatelic Service (
Description of
Official website of the Australian Antarctic Division.
Stamp catalogue
date:
designer: Chris Shurey
printer: Energi
Print
perforated: 14:14½
size souv. sheet: 130 x 90 mm
remark: stamps of the same denomination
are printed in vertical pairs
1 55 c SPIREX
telescope, organic molecules in space, AASTINO observatory at Dome C, text
"astronomy"
multicoloured
(cat.
Michel /SG /Yvert )
2 55 c scientists
drilling through the ice, ice-breaking ship, skidoos, Sno-cat,
text "glaciology"
multicoloured
(cat.
Michel /SG /Yvert )
3 $ 1.10 sea
butterfly (Limacina helicina),
Emperor Penguin diving beneath the icesheet, ship,
text
"marine biology"
multicoloured
(cat.
Michel /SG /Yvert )
4 $ 1.10 CTD
(conductivity-temperature-depth) probe, ice sea, ship,
text "oceanography"
multicoloured
(cat.
Michel /SG /Yvert )
5 souvenir sheet with
stamps 1-4, iceberg, IPY emblem, text "INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR
2007-08"
and
"The International Polar Year 2007-08 / marks a new era in polar science.
/ It draws on the
expertise
of thousands / of collaborating scientists from 60 / countries to deepen our
understanding
/ of
the polar regions and their links / to global processes. / Conducted over two
Antarctic research seasons, International /
Polar Year incorporates more than 150 / projects in
natural
and social sciences. /
involved
in more / than 40 others."
multicoloured
(cat.
Michel block /SG MS /Yvert BF)
date:
designer: Doug Pitt
ice flowers photographed by Frederique
Olivier
snow petrels over an ice bridge photographed by Wayne Papps
jade iceberg photographed by Karl Rollings
printer: Energi
Print
perforated: 13¾:14½
size souv. sheet: 120 x 80 mm
remark: issued as part of the campaign
'Preserve the polar regions and glaciers'
6 souvenir
sheet, map of
than
30 countries to / PRESERVE THE POLAR REGIONS AND GLACIERS" and
"INTERNATIONAL POLAR
YEAR 2007-2008"
55 c snow
petrel (Padodoma nivea), snow
petrels over an ice bridge, campaign logo, text "Snow Petrel"
$ 2.05 jade
iceberg, campaign logo
multicoloured
(cat.
Michel /SG /Yvert )
last revised: