Australian Legends

Updated on Nov 12, 2023

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The Australian Legends is an annual series of commemorative postage stamps issued by Australia Post since 1997. The stamps commemorate living Australians who have made lifetime contributions to the development of the Commonwealth's national identity and character. Prior to 1997, the only living persons who could appear on Australian stamps were members of the British Royal Family.

As examples of Australian graphic art, the stamps are designed to tell the story of events and personalities that shaped contemporary Australia. Each becomes part of a collective Australian memory which reflects Australian values and documents the development of Australia's national identity.

In addition to the philatelic commemoration, the honour is also known as the Australia Post Australian Legends Award.

Russell Crowe appears in the series despite not holding Australian citizenship.

Issue details

1997 – Sir Donald Bradman, one of the world's greatest cricket players

1998 – Australian Olympians, Betty Cuthbert, Herb Elliott, Dawn Fraser, Marjorie Jackson, Murray Rose and Shirley Strickland

1999 – Arthur Boyd, artist

2000 – The Last Anzacs, Roy Longmore, Walter Parker and Alec Campbell

2001 – Slim Dusty, a celebrated country music composer and performer

2002 – Medical Scientists, haematologist Professor Donald Metcalf, microbiologist Professor Nancy Millis, immunologists Professor Sir Gustav Nossal and Professor Peter C. Doherty, and epidemiologist and public health researcher Professor Fiona Stanley

2003 – Tennis Champions, Margaret Court and Rod Laver

2004 – Dame Joan Sutherland, world-renowned soprano opera singer

2005 – Fashion designers, Prue Acton, Jenny Bannister, Collette Dinnigan, Akira Isogawa, Joe Saba and Carla Zampatti

2006 – Barry Humphries, satirist and actor

2007 – Legends of Australian Horse Racing, George Moore, Roy Higgins, Bart Cummings, Bob Ingham, John Tapp and Arthur "Scobie" Breasley

2008 – Australian Legends of Philanthropy, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, Victor Smorgon and Loti Smorgon, Lady Mary Fairfax, and Frank Lowy

2009 – Australian Legends of the Screen, Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, and Geoffrey Rush

2010 – Legends of the Australian Word, Peter Carey (novelist), Bryce Courtenay, Thomas Keneally, Colleen McCullough, Tim Winton and David Malouf

2011 – Advancing equality of women, Eva Cox, Elizabeth Evatt, Germaine Greer and Anne Summers

2012 – Australian Legends of Football, Mark Schwarzer, Gary Ablett Jr, Billy Slater, David Pocock, Ron Barassi, Joe Marston, John Raper and David Campese

2013 – Legends of Australian Music, Cold Chisel, Men At Work, INXS, The Seekers, AC/DC, Kylie Minogue, John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, Paul Kelly, and Molly Meldrum

2014 – Legends of Cooking, Margaret Fulton, Maggie Beer, Stephanie Alexander, Neil Perry, and Kylie Kwong.

2015 – The Victoria Cross, Keith Payne, Mark Donaldson, Ben Roberts-Smith, Daniel Keighran, and Cameron Baird.

2016 – Legends of Singles Tennis, Pat Cash, Ashley Cooper, Roy Emerson, Neale Fraser, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, John Newcombe, Patrick Rafter, Tony Roche, Ken Rosewall, Frank Sedgman, and Fred Stolle.

References

Australian Legends Wikipedia

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