In this post we have decided to combine three stamp issues on to one page. Although all three sets differ from each other in subject and appearance, they are all part of the Scenic Stamps Series. What I did find interesting is how all three issues have miniature sheets where the design of one stamp appears as part of a bigger illustrations.
You can view all the stamps from this series in our collection Scenic Stamps Series - Part One.
1987 National Parks.
The 1987 Scenic Issue commemorated the centennial of the National Parks movement in New Zealand. In 1887, Te Heuheu Tukino IV, paramount chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa with the consent of many other chiefs, gifted to the people of New Zealand the tribally-owned land within a radius of one mile of the three volcanic peaks of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. The land was given on the understanding that it would be kept sacred under the protection of Queen Victoria and on the condition that it would be preserved as a national park. Originally 2630 hectares in area, today the park has grown to almost 80,000 hectares.
Tongariro National Park remained the only national park until the turn of the century when the Egmont National Park was established in October 1900.
This issue shows four of our more famous National Parks. Two of these were also featured in our post 2015 - UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Urewera National Park.
1988 Scenic Walkways / Walking Tracks.
You can view all the stamps from this series in our collection Scenic Stamps Series - Part One.
1987 National Parks.
The 1987 Scenic Issue commemorated the centennial of the National Parks movement in New Zealand. In 1887, Te Heuheu Tukino IV, paramount chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa with the consent of many other chiefs, gifted to the people of New Zealand the tribally-owned land within a radius of one mile of the three volcanic peaks of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. The land was given on the understanding that it would be kept sacred under the protection of Queen Victoria and on the condition that it would be preserved as a national park. Originally 2630 hectares in area, today the park has grown to almost 80,000 hectares.
Tongariro National Park remained the only national park until the turn of the century when the Egmont National Park was established in October 1900.
This issue shows four of our more famous National Parks. Two of these were also featured in our post 2015 - UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
70c - Urewera National Park.
80c - Mount Cook National Park.
Urewera National Park.
Urewera National Park is one of the most beautiful areas of New Zealand. It has the largest remaining area of rugged untouched lowland forest in the North Island as well as two jewels of lakes (Waikaremoana and Waikareiti) and a wealth of native birds, some of which have retreated to the park from threatened habitats.
Mount Cook National Park.
Mt Cook National Park is a mixture of ranges and deeply cut valleys, many of the latter carrying enormous glaciers. Mt Cook itself is the nation's highest peak and the pivot of New Zealand's Main Divide, the Southern Alps. This park is very popular with mountain climbers and hikers.
85c - Fiordland National Park.
$1.30 - Tongariro National Park.
Fiordland National Park.
Fiordland National Park contains scenery on a spectacular scale. The mountain mass of Fiordland was attacked in successive ice ages by giant glaciers which gouged out long valleys that were later flooded by the sea. Wildlife is abundant and the park is the only known habitat of one of the world's rarest birds, the takahe. It also holds a remnant population of kakapo, another endangered native bird. The view in this stamp is Mitre Peak in Milford Sound.
Tongariro National Park.
Tongariro National Park easily accessible due to its central North Island location, is the country's oldest. It is dominated by three geologically young volcanic cones, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu, all rated as active volcanoes. Ngauruhoe, a remarkably symmetrical cone that has grown on the one shoulder of Tongariro, belches fumes and gases almost constantly. These three mountains can all be seen in the miniature sheet below.
Incorporating the $1.30 Tongariro National Park stamp the sheet was issued in support of New Zealand 1990 World Philatelic Exhibition.
The 1987 scenic miniature sheet was also produced with a Capex'86 overprint to mark New Zealand Post's attendance at the Capex'86 World Philatelic Exhibition in Toronto, Canada.
1988 Scenic Walkways / Walking Tracks.
New Zealand is a country made for walkers. Open spaces, beautiful coastlines, golden tussock valleys and towering mountain peaks lure people on to the tracks leading to the wilderness lands. The choice of walks varies - from gentle 30 minute trails winding through bush to tough long-distance alpine tracks.
New Zealand tracks offer an astonishing diversity and choices of how to tackle them. The self-sufficient tramper, equipped with food and tent, can hike independently. Others with a hankering for more organised walks can join parties which provide guides, shelter, food and accommodation. No matter what the preference, the tracks await all comers.
The four stamps of this issue depict photographed landscapes from the Milford, Heaphy, Copland and Routeburn Tracks.
70c - Milford Track.
80c - Heaphy Track.
Milford Track.
Known as the "finest walk in the world", Milford Track, situated in the south-west of the South Island, affords the visitor excellent views of mountain scenery. Low altitude sections of the track are through native beech forest and relatively easy to walk. At the bush line and at river crossings the terrain is rough and the weather can be rough too. The track is not an easy walk and takes up to 4 days to complete.
Heaphy Track.
One of New Zealand's most popular tramping routes lies in Nelson Forest Park on the north-west tip of the South Island. The Tasman mountains, chains of steep, broken rugged ranges, coastal forest and red tussock dominate the landscape. The track is popular with family groups and, for full enjoyment, the recommended duration for this walk is 5 days.
85c - Copland Track.
$1.30 - Routeburn Track.
Copland Track.
Warm clothing, boots, crampons, rope, ice axe and adequate food are essentials that are required to successfully complete the Copland Track. The best season to attempt the pass is from early December to mid-March. Some of the track is on permanent snow, crevasses need to be crossed and some gullies become icy after snow or cold weather. A true alpine pass, Copland crosses the main South Island divide at 2149 metres above sea level and covers 50 kilometres from Mt Cook National Park headquarters to the main West Coast highway.
Routeburn Track.
Taking 3 days to walk, the Routeburn Track is a good way to sample both Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks. Thirty nine kilometres long, the track links the Milford highway with the Routeburn shelter near the head of Lake Wakatipu. A popular tramp enjoyed by young and old, but as with most mountain walks, needs to be treated with care and planning. In the forests of red, mountain and silver beech, draped with mosses and lichens, riflemen, bellbirds, tuis, tits and fantails sing. Above the bushline New Zealand's mountain parrot, the kea, may be seen. The track is closed during New Zealand's winter.
Incorporating the $1.30 Routeburn Track stamp the sheet was issued in support of 'New Zealand 1990' World Philatelic Exhibition.
1989 Native Trees.
Our native forests are among the most ancient in the world with an ancestry traced back over 190 million years by the study of fossilised pollen grains. Even today, trees are our oldest living things - some Kauri, the oldest living New Zealand trees, are thought to be over 2000 years old. This issue shows four of our most famous native trees.
80c - Kahikatea / White Pine.
85c - Rimu / Red Pine.
Kahikatea - White Pine (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides).
The tallest of New Zealand trees reaching 60 metres, kahikatea favour swampy lowland forest but can be found up to 600 metres above sea level. One of the scarcer native species; the last remaining kahikatea forests are found on the west coast of the South Island.
Rimu - Red Pine (Dacrydium cupressinum).
Rimu can still be found throughout New Zealand in lowland and mountain forests but it is a slowly dwindling resource. The rimu has been tracked back to very similar forms of 70 million years ago - today the largest living rimu are estimated to be 1,000 years old.
$1.05 - Totara.
$1.30 - Kauri.
Totara (Podocarpus totara).
Totara grows to 30 metres in height with a straight trunk up to two metres through and old trees can reach 1,800 years old. Totara wood is extremely durable - the Maori felled huge single logs to make their large canoes, and later the timber was also used for wharf and building piles.
Kauri (Agathis australis).
The mighty kauri once covered much of North Auckland and the Coromandel peninsula. Some living trees are thought to be about 2000 years old - often reaching 30 metres or more in height. In the north of the North Island, 67,144 hectares of kauri forest still remain.
Incorporating the $1.80 stamp a special miniature sheet was issued by New Zealand Post in support of the 'New Zealand 1990' World Philatelic Exhibition held in Auckland 24 August - 2 September 1990.
Technical information - 1987 National Parks.
Date of Issue:
|
17 June 1987
|
|---|---|
Designer:
|
T Purkis, Paraparumu
|
Printers:
|
Leigh-Mardon, Australia
|
Stamp Size:
|
35mm x 30mm
|
Sheet Size:
|
50 stamps per sheet; Miniature Sheet with one stamp
|
Process:
|
Lithography
|
| Perforation Gauge: |
14.25
|
Paper Type:
|
Unwatermarked
|
Technical information - 1988 Walkways.
Date of Issue:
|
8 June 1988
|
|---|---|
Designer:
|
H Thompson, Wellington
|
Printers:
|
Leigh-Mardon, Australia
|
Stamp Size:
|
30mm x 35mm; Miniature Sheet : 123mm x 99mm
|
Sheet Size:
|
100 stamps per sheet; Miniature Sheet of one stamp
|
Process:
|
Lithography
|
| Perforation Gauge: |
14.25
|
Paper Type:
|
Unwatermarked
|
Technical information - 1989 Native Trees.
Date of Issue:
|
07 June 1989
|
|---|---|
Designers:
|
D Gunson, Auckland
|
Printers:
|
House of Questa, England
|
Stamp Size:
|
30mm x 35mm
|
Sheet Size:
|
100 stamps per sheet
|
Process:
|
Lithography
|
| Perforation Gauge: |
13.5 x 14.25
|
Paper Type:
|
Red phosphor coated, unwatermarked
|
Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
You can visit their web site and On-line Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/
Information for this post came from.
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