Aussie Philanthrophists

Here we have an FDC with a topic we don't encounter often in philately: philantrophy, particularly philanthropy in Australia. This issue features five of the most respected Asustralian philatrophists.

Issued each year to coincide with Australia Day, the Australia Post Australian Legends Award recognises great Australians who have made life-long contributions to the development of Australian national identity and character.

The Australian Legends Award began 11 years ago when for the first time a living person other than a ruling monarch was featured on an Australian stamp.

This year, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch (leftmost stamp), who is Patron of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and a life governor of the Royal Women's Hospital, has been recognised for her extraordinary support across many sectors. Annually, she supports 110 charitable organisations.

Victor Smorgon (second from the left), industrialist and philanthropist, has been recognised for his enormous contribution to a wide range of medical and arts institutions in Australia including the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne and the Victorian Arts Centre.

Loti Smorgon (on the same stamp as her husband Victor) has been recognised as one of Australia’s leading arts patrons through her contributions to Australian art galleries including the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

Lady Fairfax (second from right) has been selected as a recipient of the Australia Post Legends Award following decades of support to a wide range of social and economic activities including medical research, health care, opera and the arts and the preservation of diverse cultural heritage.

As Executive Chairman and co-founder of Westfield, Frank Lowy ( has been recognised for his generous support of arts, sport, medical education and research. Specifically, he established the Lowy Institute, an independent international policy think tank, and has made significant contributions to building the Lowy Cancer Research Centre at the University of NSW.

Thanks to Janice Parnell, who sent this to me in one of the CCCC circuits.

Australia

Above we have a size 10 envelope from Australia with a panel of 6 stamps, 6 of which have postage value. These three stamps are part of a set of five issued on 12 Sep 2007. The stamps collectively depict the major botanic gardens from across Australia - Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.



I was quite surprised to learn while researching on these stamps that, according to some studies, more than forty percent of all Australians over the age of 15 visit at least one botanic garden every year and that going to the botanic gardens are second only to cinemas in terms of cultural venues! Australians must really love gardens!

Actually, being the nature lover that I am, I myself like gardens and gardening. I've been been to Butchart in Victoria, BC, Canada, which is quite breathtaking and relaxing to the eye, as well as the National Orchid Garden in Singapore, which is also nice. I have yet to visit Australia and have admittedly never heard of the Australian botanic gardens (as I am not a garden enthusiast), but judging from the stamps, I understand why quite a large sum of Australians still visit these places in this day and age when most confine themselves to the comforts of their couch or desktop. I do hope to one day visit these gardens and take in the sights myself. Gardens offer a sense of inner peace and tranquility and I really think I need some of that!

Going back to the stamps, the cover was postmarked at Fairfield, a suburb 29 km west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, on the 23rd of April 2008.