Papua
The island of New Guinea is located about 160km north of Australia and was discovered in 1512 by the Portuguese navigator, d'Abreu. New Guinea is divided into three areas. The western section, formerly Dutch New Guinea (Annexed in 1828), was taken over by Indonesia in 1963 and renamed West Irian. The north eastern section and the neighbouring islands were annexed by Germany in 1884 and remained under German control until occupied by Australian forces in 1914. At the end of World War I, the administration of the area was given to Australia by the League of Nations and the area became New Guinea.The south eastern section was annexed by Britain in 1888 and administered by Queenslandon behalf of that colony, NSW & Victoria.In 1906 the administration of British New Guinea was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia and the renamed the Territory of Papua. Both New Guinea & Papua were invaded and occupied in 1942 by the Japanese, but were recaptured two years later by Allied forces.Following World War II both territories were administered by Australia.
Postal History
Stamps of Queensland were used in British New Guinea from 1885 and replaced by British New Guinea stamps in 1901. When the protectorate was claimed outright in 1888, post offices were opened at Port Moresby and Samurai. As soon as British New Guinea (Papua) was handed over to the Commonwealth of Australia, first stamps were quickly produced by overprinting existing issues of British New Guinea. The former territory of New Guinea and the colony of Papua were consolidated as an Australian trust territory in 1946. From 1945 to 1952 stamps of Australia were used (eg 1946 Victory issue). From 1952 the stamps of the consolidated territories designated "Papua & New Guinea"
• Sydney Philatelics • P.O. Box 122 Milton NSW 2538 •
• Phone: +61 (0)2 4455 4011 • Fax: +61 (0)2 8572 9911 •
• E-mail:info@stampsaustralia.com.au •
