stamp bulletin - Australia Post Shop

Roland Harvey, the illustrator
If you believe in destiny, you’ll probably agree
that Roland Harvey was destined to illustrate
the Wild Babies stamp issue. After all Harvey’s
passion for illustration developed alongside his
love for the bush, in fact he says that his first
publications were ‘…exercise books with bits of
leaf, fern, feathers and sometimes whole logs
stuck in them’.
Or consider Harvey’s description of his own
publishing endeavours, ‘We try to publish
books that excite kids’ imaginations and make
them say “I haven’t seen a book like that
before”’. Substitute ‘stamp’ for ‘book’ and
Harvey could be describing Australia Post’s
aims for Stamp Collecting Month.
Children the world over already know
Roland Harvey as the creator of the beloved
Belvedere. Philatelists know him too. Some will
recognise his name and realise that Kevin isn’t
the first of Harvey’s koala creations to appear
on a stamp.
Roland Harvey designed and illustrated the
joint commemorative stamp issues for
Australia and the USA (Koala and Eagle,
January 1998) and Australia and New Zealand
(Koala and Kiwi, June 1998). He also designed
the 40c Recreation stamp in the Living Together
definitive range (February and March 1988).
Children of all ages will agree that Roland
Harvey’s passion for the bush and his desire
to stimulate kids’ imaginations shine in every
element of the stamps and miniature sheets.
They have an irrepressibly fun atmosphere
that seems to invite us to enter the fantasy
world and celebrate Kevin’s special day with
his native animal friends.
Books and stamps share many qualities.
They are enjoyed on many levels. They
capture our imaginations. They tell stories.
Just as a single book can inspire a lifetime’s
love of reading, a single stamp can grab a
child’s interest and start the process of
6
collecting, a hobby that can last a lifetime.
Wherever Kevin and his mates find
themselves: from well established collections
to collections yet to be, their fun filled antics
are sure to bring smiles to our faces for many
years to come.
Miniature sheets
The miniature sheets – each with three of the
six stamps – show different views of the
acivities and are designed to be viewed
together. On the upper miniature sheet, Kevin
Koala is the centre of attention. James Wombat
and his mum take centre stage in the lower
miniature sheet.
Roland Harvey, at work in his studio
Maximum cards
Stamp pack
2 October 2001
Wild Babies sticker and activity book
7