2003 Scenic - Waterways

Water surrounds our nation and criss-crosses our countryside in a myriad of rivers, lakes and streams. It offers recreational opportunities and is transformed to generate most of our electricity supply. It yields an abundance of fish for our tables and sustains a tourism industry second to none. In short, it is part of our lifeblood - essential to our economic, social and environmental wellbeing.

The 2003 Scenic - Waterways stamp issue celebrated our waterways, particularly in light of two very special occasions - the United Nations International Year of Freshwater and the 50th anniversary of the Photographic Society of New Zealand.

50th Anniversary of the Photographic Society of New Zealand

All five 2003 Scenic - Waterways stamps depicted photographs taken by members of the Photographic Society of New Zealand - Jack Sprosen, Breen Porter, Brian Cudby, Lynn Clayton and Matheson Beaumont.

Formed over 50 years ago, the Society promoted the advancement of photographic science and art in New Zealand and overseas. Its activities range from interclub and inter-secondary school competitions to national exhibitions and conventions. It also stores a permanent collection of its members' works, and every year produces a highly sought-after book of photographic images.

The Five Stamps.

40c - 'Papaaroha, Coromandel Peninsula.'

Travel to the tip of the North Island's Coromandel Peninsula and you'll find Papaaroha. From the stunning pohutukawa-shaded golden sands of the beach, you can view or visit a cluster of offshore islands, ideal for picnicking, rock-hopping and rock fishing.

90c - 'Waimahana Creek, Chatham Islands.'

Waimahana Creek flows into the Whanga Basin on Chatham Island - one of ten islands comprising the Chatham Islands, almost 850 kilometres east of mainland New Zealand. The Islands are home to rare and unique fauna and flora, including the world's rarest seabird, the Chatham Island taiko.

$1.30 - 'Blue Lake, Central Otago.'

The Blue Lake can be found in St Bathans in Central Otago, its distinctive colour reflecting the minerals in its water. The lake was made more than 100 years ago by gold miners, who dug at a 120-metre high hill until it became a 69-metre deep pit. When the mining stopped, the hole filled with water - and today the lake is a popular destination for swimming and jet skiing.

$1.50 - 'Waikato River, Waikato.'

The 425-kilometre Waikato River is New Zealand's longest, rising on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu as the Tongariro River before flowing north through Lake Taupo, tumbling over Huka Falls and heading north-west to enter the Tasman Sea south of Auckland. The river churns through eight power stations between Taupo and Karapiro, providing a major source of hydroelectric power for the North Island.

$2.00 - 'Hooker River, Canterbury.'

The Hooker River is just one of the spectacular sights along the Hooker Valley Walk, one of the most popular in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand's South Island. The walk offers unsurpassed vistas of Aoraki/Mount Cook's south face and the surrounding glaciers, crossing the turbulent Hooker River by swingbridge.

First Day Cover - 6 August 2003.

All five stamps featured on the 2003 Scenic - Waterways first day cover, complemented with a photograph of Lake Wahapo, located on the South Island's West Coast and formed when the ice melted 20,000 years ago.

Technical information.

Date of issue: 6 August 2003.

The number of stamps: Five.

Denominations and designs: 40c Papaaroha, Coromandel Peninsula; 90c Waimahana Creek, Chatham Islands; $1.30 Blue Lake, Central Otago; $1.50 Waikato River, Waikato; $2.00 Hooker River, Canterbury.

Stamps and first-day cover designed: DNA Design, Wellington.

Printer and process: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin by offset lithography.

The number of colours: Five colours, four process colours and one special.

Stamp size and format: 40mm x 30mm (landscape).

Perforation gauge: 14.25.

The number of stamps per sheet: 50.

Period of sale: These stamps remained on sale until 5 August 2004.

Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ

You can visit their website and Online Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/

Information & images for this post came from.

New Zealand Post (Stamps)