I threatened to return to that UN stamp. A set of
three 4-stamp blocks was issued in 1991,
making 12 individual stamps. The extra space on the
4 stamps enabled landscape scenes to be shown without making the detail
too microscopic. Postcards were also issued for each landscape, showing
different aspects of the (improved) European natural environment.
The scene below is said to depict “the diversity of life
found in the upland forest presented against a background of snow-covered
mountains, rippling brooks and evergreen forests”.
We could do that for Canberra – if we just had the
right committee (see below)
WAYNE: Right. Well, we’ve got a pretty
clear job here. We’ve got to design the Canberra environment stamp
and pick the stuff to go in it.
TREVOR: Can we show anything we want?
WAYNE: Let’s see. Well, Barry says
there’s a limit of 5 birds, 6 max, and we can have up to 3 mammals, a
reptile and a couple of insects. Plus maybe 6 plants.
TREVOR: Geez, I don’t know how we’re going
to go on the insects. They’re pretty small.
WAYNE: It’s a matter of perspective Trev.
The insects can be close up while the kangaroos can be 200 metres away.
Not that we’re going to use kangaroos necessarily. Oh here’s
another thing. We need something in the distance that says
‘Canberra’ and Barry says we can think about using the Brindabellas
for example.
FIONA: Just a minute Wayne. I think
there’s a contextual issue here. Are we going to use things
that are really common or is there to be an endangered species angle.
There’s quite a difference there.
WAYNE: No, no, not endangered - we
don’t want things that people never see. The brief is to make it
distinctively Canberra, like, as a rule of thumb, things that you’re more
likely to see here than in most other places.
TREVOR: Hey, what about that myna they’re
talking about. That seems to be pretty common.
WAYNE: Hmmm. I’ve got a bit of an alarm
bell ringing in my mind about that one Trev. Let me check, and I’ll
get back at the next meeting.
FIONA: On the plants, Wayne, my daughter at school has
been learning about something called a Scribbly Gum. Apparently the
scribble is made by a moth, so it might be a nice touch to show the gum, the
scribble, and the moth as one of our insects.
WAYNE: Good idea Fiona. Better just check
on that moth though. We’d want something a reasonable size and we
want something that looks nice. We wouldn’t want to spoil the scene
by having an ugly moth right in the middle of it.
TREVOR: Yellow Buttons
WAYNE: Pardon Trev
TREVOR: I think that’s the name of those yellow
flowers you see all over the place
FIONA: And what about a water scene Wayne?
WAYNE: Right, well there’s plenty of ideas, and
good to see you’re all thinking. Just work on those things and
we’ll talk about them at the next meeting. Don’t forget to
bring back some ideas on those birds.
[to be continued]
