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150th 15OTH Anniversary ANNIVERSARY Murray MURRAY River RIVER Shipping SHIPPING
The issue
This issue commemorates the 150 th anniversary
of shipping on the Murray River. The vessels
featured on the stamps have all been, or are
being, restored and can be visited by members
of the public.
The stamps are illustrated by Craig McGill of
New South Wales, with typography and product
design by Belinda Marshall, of Australia Post’s
Design Studio.
The issue includes gummed and selfadhesive
stamps, fi rst day covers, stamp and
collector packs and a set of fi ve maximum cards.
A beautiful prestige booklet completes the issue.
The 16 page prestige booklet (illustrated
on page 4) features twenty stamps in fi ve
stamp panes. The stamps are in blocks of four
of a single design. This single design block
confi guration is unique to the booklet. The
stamp panes are interleaved with panes of text
and images. The prestige booklet is a wonderful
introduction to the Murray River, the history of
steam boats in Australia on the river system and
the fun of stamp collecting.
The issue also includes a decorative gutter
with a representation of the Murray River
marked with the towns where the paddle
steamers shown on the stamps are located.
5 August 2003
PS Oscar W
The Oscar W was built in 1908 for normal
commercial work on the rivers. It changed
hands and purpose several times before being
sold and taken to Mildura for tourist day
excursions. In 1964 the Oscar W was sold again
and restored to a wood burner before being
bought by Tourism SA and taken to Goolwa
for complete restoration. The vessel is now
maintained and operated by the Friends of the
Oscar W as a working exhibit at Signal Point
River Murray Interpretive Centre in Goolwa.
PS Marion
Built in 1897, PS Marion was one of the fi rst
paddle steamers to run cruises on the Murray
River, and it is now the only original wood-fi red
paddle steamer with overnight accommodation
still operating. Like the Oscar W, Marion has
been through changes of ownership and
function – including serving as a fl oating
boarding house and a static museum – before
returning to its original purpose as a passenger
boat. In 1989 the Mannum community and
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