It’s a little know fact that Mount Kosciuszko is not Australia’s highest mountain or that the country does indeed have an active volcano.
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Forster couple, Kim and Kevin Dwyer had no idea either until they began their 40-year love affair with stamp collecting and the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), and Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Kevin’s particular interest was stamps from Heard and McDonald islands in the southern Indian Ocean, which were gifted to Australia by the British Empire in 1947.
Mawson Peak, on Heard Island is an active volcano that erupted as recently as 2016. It reaches an elevation of 2745 metres, while Kosciuszko only gets to 2228 metres.
The couple began collecting stamps primarily as a family project.
“I wanted to start something that I could pass onto our two kids,” Kevin said.
The couple’s two children, Kirsten now 42 and Christopher 40, ditched stamp collecting as teenagers.
But, for many years it was indeed a family passion. The Dwyers were the first to exhibit as a family at the Canberra’s National Stamp Show.
Held every two years, the couple has not missed a show and was recently acknowledged with an award for services to philately. They also have been recognised by the Australian Philatelic Federation.
When Kim and Kevin began their hobby in 1979 a friend suggested they concentrate on collecting external Australian territories – Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Australian Antarctic Territory.
Mainly because there was only one issue a year, Kevin said.
I had no idea we had territories in the Indian Ocean.
- Kevin Dwyer
Since then the Dwyers’ collection has snowballed, amassing a vast collection of rare stamps and post markes, while at the same time they have expanded their knowledge about Australia’s history, geography, population and science.
“There is so much you can learn from stamp collecting,” Kim said.
“I had no idea we had territories in the Indian Ocean,” Kevin said.
“While I love the challenge of trying to get something that is difficult to find,” Kim said.
A history buff, Kim said the hobby had also introduced them to like-minded friends and enabled them to travel the world on several occasions.
“We’ve been to the Antarctic, but not the Cocos.”
But, the hobby also has proved to be a monetary win win for the couple.
Although they both chorus “it wasn’t about the money” the sale of collections and individual stamps have given them the opportunity to travel extensively.
Back in 1982 Kevin outlaid $275 for a stamp postmarked Antarctic and sold it 10 years later for $6500.
Kim later sold her Cocos (Keeling) Island collection for $40,000, while Kevin’s AAT collection earned him $45,000
However, she has retained two covers from the 1955 postmarked first flight to 23 world destinations. It has 12 different postal rates for the one day.
Throughout August Australia Post will celebrate Stamp Collecting Month, and the Dwyers are keen to encourage young people to take up the hobby.
“For kids, stamp collecting is a fun way to learn more about something they might be interested in, and have the collection as well … kind of like having your cake and eating it too,” Kim said.
“It’s something they can share with friends, even a way of making new friends with similar interests, I think that’s very important for kids these days.”