WTB Australia 1978 Horse Racing FDC - by POs, A-Z

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 29 Aug 2021 22:15

Hi Greg

This was in my PO Box when I went there this morning:

And inside:

: Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Engadine NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

This one was one that I did not realise I didn't have as it was not on my list of fdi postmarks. Thank you very much for finding this one for me.

Phoenix tells us that the Engadine Post Office opened as an RO 15/11/1922 & became a PO on 1/7/1927.

Engadine is a suburb in southern Sydney, NSW. Engadine is located 33 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire. It has a population of 17,375 (2016 census).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engadine,_New_South_Wales

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 29 Aug 2021 22:35

Another arrived from an eBayer in the UK:

And inside:

: Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Jamison Centre ACT fdi - 18th October 1978

Phoenix tells us that Jamison Centre was renamed from Macquarie PO on 2/1/1969, after being opened as a PO on 21/12/1967.

Jamison Centre is a large shopping centre located in Belconnen's eastern suburb of Macquarie, Australian Capital Territory. Built in 1969, Jamison Centre was the first shopping development in the Belconnen district, preceding the Belconnen Town Centre by nearly a decade. It was named after Thomas Jamison (1752/53–1811), a First Fleet surgeon and prominent landowner, government official and mercantile trader of the colonial era.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamison_Centre

PS - By my count I am within one post office of completing the Australian Capital Territory section of this collection. Campbell is the only ACT Post Office I don't have.

There are of course still a lot of post offices from other States & Territories I don't have.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 03 Oct 2021 01:12

A new a arrival today from Stampboarder towradji:

: Horses Postcard - National View by Murfett Publishers

: With 20c Tulloch Racehorse stamp postmark Dickson ACT fdi - 18th October 1978.

The sender mentions a jockey signing fdcs at Canberra City PO, that jockey was Athol Mulley.

Athol Mulley was the rider of Bernborough (35c horse racing stamp) who he rode to victory in 15 consecutive races.

: 1978 Horse Racing fdc postmarked Canberra City ACT fdi - 18th October 1978 signed by Athol Mulley, jockey of Bernborough

https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/the-sport/racing/australia ... hol-mulley

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Nov 2021 13:12

A new arrival from an eBayer in Victoria:

& inside:

: 1978 Australia Horse Racing fdc postmarked Eastwood SA - 18th October 1978.

Eastwood is a small triangular inner-southern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, 2kms south east of the Adelaide GPO with a population of 764.

It is bounded to the north by Greenhill Road and the Adelaide Parklands, to the east by Fullarton Road and the suburb of Glenside, and to the southwest by Glen Osmond Road and the suburb of Parkside.

Phoenix tells us the Eastwood PO opened as Parkside PO on 10/12/1859 & was renamed Eastwood PO on 20/11/1967. It closed on 5/3/1993.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastwood,_South_Australia

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Nov 2021 13:43

Eastwood SA 5063, should not be confused with Eastwood NSW 2122:

: 1978 Australia Horse Racing fdc postmarked Eastwood NSW - 18th October 1978.

Eastwood is a suburb of Sydney, Australia. Eastwood is located 17 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the City of Parramatta with a population of about 18,000. Eastwood is in the Northern Sydney region.

Eastwood is famous for the Granny Smith apple, accidentally first grown in the suburb by Maria Ann Smith. Every October, the oval and cordoned-off streets become the grounds for the annual Granny Smith Festival.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastwood,_New_South_Wales

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Nov 2021 14:59

Another recent arrival from an eBayer in Victoria:

And inside:

: 1978 Horse racing fdc signed by Tommy Smith & George Moore, trainer & jockey of Tulloch & postmarked Southport Qld

: A novel Certificate of Authenticity
Tommy & Tulloch.

: Tulloch with Neville Selwood up.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 12 Nov 2021 15:35

A new arrival via eBay:

And inside:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Willoughby NSW - 18th October 1978

A nice pick up as it is one I didn't know I was missing.

Willoughby is a suburb located on the lower North Shore of Sydney, 8 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district.

There is some conjecture as to how Willoughby was named. Some historians believe it was named after a parish, while others believe that Surveyor-General Sir Thomas Mitchell decided to commemorate Sir James Willoughby Gordon whom he had served during the Peninsular War and was the quartermaster-general in England when the First Fleet sailed to Botany Bay.

In 1934, the Willoughby incinerator was built in Small Street, after a design by Walter Burley Griffin. It has been described as "a particularly successful example of an industrial building integrating function with site." The incinerator is listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate.

The suburb was home to the headquarters of the Nine Network, under the callsign of TCN-9 for 64 years until it moved to North Sydney in November 2020. Next to this site was the Channel 9 TV Tower which at 233 metres high was the tallest in Australia; its demolition commenced in April 2021, to be replaced by 460 new homes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willoughby,_New_South_Wales

Phoenix tell us the Post Office opened here on 23rd November 1891, although Wikipedia says the first post office in the area opened in 1871. Perhaps it was not known as Willoughby.

desmond_maughan · Post by **desmond_maughan** » 12 Nov 2021 17:17

I'm not going to get anywhere near the different ones you have, I have found 20 different ones I don't have across Australia, but the sellers won't either reply to my messages, or send them to the UK.

I guess it's called good business.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 12 Nov 2021 19:28

Desmond

You have to remember I have been doing this for 20 years or more & I am "Johnny" on the spot. I am happy to assist you with the Aussie dealers here if I can.

desmond_maughan · Post by **desmond_maughan** » 13 Nov 2021 04:57

Thanks Bradford,

I'm more than happy to pay for them from the sellers in Australia, but if they don't communicate with me, I doubt they will communicate with you.

Ones the place I have already said:-
Philatelics (Australia) Pty Ltd
303 Payneham Road
Royston Park
South Australia 5070

Turns out the only one I got replies from (Steve Waterman) has retired, beginning of this year. The problem has always been with Steve Meharry. I also believe they only do auctions, yet Steve M nearly a year ago took my card details etc to send them to, but never heard nothing since from him, I just don't get it. They have 2 covers, I found for you also.

The other is on eBay (li867339) again sent numerous messages, but I don't even get replies.

I know we have Covid, but it's not a computer virus.

desmond_maughan · Post by **desmond_maughan** » 13 Nov 2021 07:23

Hi Bradford,

I have contacted lots of people all over Australia, and I've had some amazing reactions from people, even though not dealers, or shops, members of stamp clubs, and even forums. They have been absolutely amazing guys. They have bought me all sorts of these SJ Covers, having numerous towns, I never asked them, and they have sent them to me free. I'm not a scrounger, I expect to pay my way, even thought they didn't want anything in return, I have sent everyone money to cover the cost of the covers, and postage.
Just some names:-
Shields Samps and Coins-Tony Shields
Prospect Stamps and Coins-Michael Craft
Sevenseas-John Higgs
Pats Stamps&Things-Pat Palmer
F A LUIS PHILATELIC-Fred Luis
Australian Stamps-Ross
Sydney Philatelics-Grahame
Max Stern & Co.-Barry Seigel
Kenton Philatelics-Terry Finlayson
Southwest-Glenn Stafford, what a top dollar
+many more
+All the StampBoarder's you know, who you are.

Many thanks to all of you, too many to mention.

Maybe helpful to have a list of good sellers on SB, that go above, and beyond the call of duty?

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 22 Nov 2021 22:14

Desmond

An impressive list.

I didn't know Fred Luis was still around, I haven't seen him in ages.

Fred told me he opened the batting for Queensland a few times in the Sheffield Shield Cricket.

Bradford.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 22 Nov 2021 22:20

A recent acquisition from an ebayer in South Australia:

And inside

: Australia Post Horse racing fdc with 20c Tulloch stamp gutter block of 4 postmarked with Green Acres fdi - 18th October 1978

Greenacres is a north eastern suburb of Adelaide with a population of over 2000. It is considered to be an inner suburb of greater Adelaide. Hampstead Road and Muller Road intersect at the south west corner of Greenacres, making it a bustling area during rush hour. These form the western and southern boundaries of the suburb, with Fosters Road on the east and Redward Avenue on the northern boundary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenacres,_South_Australia

Phoenix tells us Greenacres PO opened on 19/9/1956 as renamed Greenacres West PO 1/5/1963. Windsor Gardens PO on 1/5/1963 was renamed Greenacres.

desmond_maughan · Post by **desmond_maughan** » 01 Dec 2021 09:24

Hi BigSaint,

Not sure if you have got any of these, unfortunately some are bad picture's :-

: 1 - Australia-1978-Horseracing-First-Day-Cover-Bacchus

: 2 - Australia-1978-Horseracing-First-Day-Cover-Inala

: 3 - Australia-1978-Horseracing-First-Day-Cover-Bankstown

: 4 - Australia-1978-First-Day-Cover-Horse-Racing Dickson ACT

: 5 - Australia-1978-Australian-Horse-Racing Blacktown

: 6 - Salisbury

: 7 - Salisbury

: 8 - Australia-1978-Australian-Horse-Racing - Toowoomba

: 9 - First-day-cover-FDC-1978-Horse-racing-Mortdale

: 10 - 1978-Horse-Racing-Set-of-4 Manuka ACT

: 11 - Aust-FDC-Australian-Horse-Racing-Cleveland-Qld

: 12 - Aust-FDC-Australian-Horse-Racing-Glenelg-SAust

: 13 - Australia-1978-FDC-Horse-Racing Railway Square

: 14 - Australia-1978-Horse-Racing-Set-Phar-Lap - Ringwood

: 15 - Mortdale

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2021 15:16

Hi Desmond

Thanks for looking out for these ones for me. I have added number to the image for easier reference.

1. Bacchus, it is actually Bacchus Marsh, named after the Australian Wicketkeeper "Rod Marsh".

- I have this one.
2. Inala - I have this one
3. Bankstown - I have this one
4. Dickson - I have this one
5. Blacktown - I have this one
6. Salisbury (?) - I have Salisbury
7. Salisbury (?) - I have Salisbury
8. Toowoomba (?) - I have Toowoomba
9. Mortdale - I have this one
10. Manuka - I have this one
11. Cleveland - I have this one
12. Glenelg - I have this one
13. Railway Square - I have this one
14. Ringwood - I have this one
15. Mortdale - I have this one

If you would like to check I guessed 6, 7 & 8 correctly & come back to me if they are different then I have all of these towns.

Once again thank you for looking.

Bradford

desmond_maughan · Post by **desmond_maughan** » 01 Dec 2021 20:29

BigSaint wrote: ↑01 Dec 2021 15:16 Hi Desmond

Thanks for looking out for these ones for me. I have added number to the image for easier reference.

1. Bacchus, it is actually Bacchus Marsh, named after the Australian Wicketkeeper "Rod Marsh". - I have this one.
2. Inala - I have this one
3. Bankstown - I have this one
4. Dickson - I have this one
5. Blacktown - I have this one
6. Salisbury (?) - I have Salisbury
7. Salisbury (?) - I have Salisbury
8. Toowoomba (?) - I have Toowoomba
9. Mortdale - I have this one
10. Manuka - I have this one
11. Cleveland - I have this one
12. Glenelg - I have this one
13. Railway Square - I have this one
14. Ringwood - I have this one
15. Mortdale - I have this one

If you would like to check I guessed 6, 7 & 8 correctly & come back to me if they are different then I have all of these towns.

Once again thank you for looking.

Bradford

Hi BigSaint,

6&7 Same picture of Salisbury PMK FDC
8 Is Toowoomba PMK FDC

So you have them all, thought I would check.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2021 20:34

No worries.

Thank you Desmond.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 19 Dec 2021 21:07

Received from Sheriff Glen of Tombstone:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Caringbah NSW - 18th October 1978

Caringbah is a suburb in southern Sydney, 24 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Sutherland Shire.

Caringbah once stretched from Woolooware Bay on the Georges River to Yowie Bay and Burraneer Bay on the Port Hacking estuary. A number of Caringbah localities have been declared as separate suburbs but still share the postcode 2229. These suburbs include Taren Point to the north on the Georges River, and Port Hacking, Lilli Pilli, Dolans Bay and Caringbah South, located on the Port Hacking River to the south.

Caringbah is an Aboriginal word from the Kumbainggar language for a pademelon wallaby. The suburb was originally called Highfield, but it is unclear whether this was a position description or whether it was named after an early resident. Caringbah was used from 1911, after the steam trams began operating between Cronulla and Sutherland.

Thomas Holt (1811–88) owned most of the land that stretched from Sutherland to Cronulla in the 1860s. Most of the area around Miranda and Caringbah was used for market gardening from the 1880s. Caringbah was still used for orchards and farming until after World War II. The railway line to Cronulla opened in 1939.

Phoenix tells us the Carinbah Post Office opened as a receiving office on 15/10/1912 & became a Post Office on 16/9/1916.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caringbah

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 27 Jan 2022 00:14

A recent arrival from an eBayer in Ballarat:

And inside:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Clifton Hill Vic fdi - 18th October 1978

Clifton Hill is a suburb of Melbourne, 4 km north-east of the Melbourne central business district. Its local government area is the City of Yarra. At the 2016 Census, Clifton Hill had a population of 6,341.

Described in the 1880s as the "Toorak of Collingwood", Clifton Hill fell out of favour, along with much of inner Melbourne, by the mid 20th century. Later becoming a centre of Melbourne's bohemianism, the suburb has undergone rapid gentrification in recent years, with renewed interest in its inner city location and well preserved Victorian and Edwardian housing stock. Clifton Hill now considered one of Melbourne's most liveable suburbs.

Major road arteries passing through the suburb include Queens Parade, Heidelberg Road, Alexandra Parade and Hoddle Street. The Eastern Freeway terminates at Alexandra Parade, and provides access to the outer Eastern and Southeastern suburbs.

Clifton Hill railway station forms the junction between the Mernda and Hurstbridge railway lines, and is located at the corner of Hoddle and Ramsden Streets, opposite Mayors Park and the Darling Gardens. Express and stopping all stations services frequently operate from the station, taking between 9 and 12 minutes to Flinders Street in the city centre.

Phoenix tells us the Clifton Hill Post Office opened circa 1883 & became an LPO on 8th November 1993.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Hill,_Victoria

earlierthebetter · Post by **earlierthebetter** » 03 Mar 2022 15:36

.
Hi Brad

Off topic here but wondering if you might be interested in this one from Germany.
.

.

abernethy18 · Post by **abernethy18** » 04 Mar 2022 23:35

G'day Brad,

Looking through some stamps that were donated to me last week I came across a 1978 Horse Racing Cover.

Do you need Nelson Bay NSW 2315?

Thanks,

Graham

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Mar 2022 00:05

earlierthebetter wrote: ↑03 Mar 2022 15:36 .
Hi Brad

Off topic here but wondering if you might be interested in this one from Germany.
.
.

Greg

Thanks for the offer, but I have that one already

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Mar 2022 00:08

abernethy18 wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022 23:35 G'day Brad,

Looking through some stamps that were donated to me last week I came across a 1978 Horse Racing Cover.

Do you need Nelson Bay NSW 2315?

Thanks,

Graham

Hi Graham

Thank you, I don't have that one.

I will send an email shortly.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 14 Apr 2022 15:35

This one arrived from Perth today:

And inside:

: Australian Horse Racing fdc with block of 4 of 35c Bernborough stamp postmarked Chatswood NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

I noticed this fdi postmark was different to the one I already had:

: Australian Horse Racing fdc with the set of 4 stamps postmarked Chatswood NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

A comparison of the two postmarks:

I will have to check my fdcs to see what other Chatswood fdcs I have.

scrute · Post by **scrute** » 14 Apr 2022 18:49

Brad

All the Sigma covers from May 1971 through 1974 were postmarked at Chatswood. A lot of the non-Sigma Dear Doctor covers were also postmarked at Chatswood. They all have the printing in bold like your postmark for the Bernborough block cover. Like yours, the date line seems to be out of alignment with the "Chatswood NSW" part of the postmark.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 14 Apr 2022 22:03

Scrute

Correct on the Sigmas.

A quick look at my collection & I have of the smaller font, on the left above, before the the horse racing issue & none of the larger font, on the right above, after the horse racing issue.

However i don't have Chatswood for every issue around that time.

Maybe others have a better range of Chatswood than I do & can give a more definitive answer.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 May 2022 00:47

This arrived from Perth today:

And inside:

: Australian Horse Racing fdc with block of 4 of 50c Phar Lap stamp postmarked Chatswood NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

: Australian Horse Racing fdc with block of 4 of 20c Tulloch stamp postmarked Chatswood NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

: Australian Horse Racing fdc with block of 4 of 55c Peter Pan stamp postmarked Chatswood NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

This completes the set now for Chatswood NSW.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 May 2022 00:51

From Stampboarder towradji:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Ivanhoe Vic fdi - 18th October 1978 to Barcelona Spain.

Thank you towradji.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Jun 2022 18:55

From Stampboarder Greg:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Armidale NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales. Armidale had a population of 24,504 as at June 2018. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region. It is approximately halfway between Sydney and Brisbane at the junction of the New England Highway and Waterfall Way.

The Armidale railway station is on the Main North railway line and is served by daily passenger trains to and from Sydney. Armidale's airport has five daily scheduled flights to and from Sydney with Qantaslink. Regional airline Fly Corporate operates a scheduled air service with flights to and from Brisbane. The city is linked further north by daily coach to Tenterfield provided by NSW TrainLink.

Armidale was initially founded in 1839 by George James MacDonald who was the Commissioner of Crown Lands and head of the local Border Police detachment in the New England district. MacDonald established his barracks on the site and named it after Armadale on the Isle of Skye in Scotland which was the ancestral home of the MacDonald clan.

The James Barnet-designed heritage-listed Armidale Post Office opened on 1 April 1843.

The city is home to a large number of education facilities, including the University of New England. The university was founded in 1938, at first as a college of the University of Sydney, but then in its own right in 1954. The UNE contributes to Armidale's position as a city of culture and diversity, with a vibrant artistic and cultural element.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armidale

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Jun 2022 19:10

Also from Stampboarder Greg:

BigSaint wrote: ↑15 May 2020 14:57 A recent ebay acquisition, although unfortunately on a Wesley. It will serve a a space filler till I find an Australia Post cover for this post office which I did not know had a fdi postmark:

1978 WCS fdc - 1978 Race Horses - Wollongong East - 18th October 1978.

PPA tells us that Wollongong East post office opened on PO 23rd September 1968. It is in Crown Street between the Wollongong Post Office also in Crown Street & the beach.

Wollongong East is a suburb of Wollongong, a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, about 68 kilometres south of Sydney CBD. Wollongong has a population of around 300,000, making it the third-largest city in New South Wales after Sydney & Newcastle, & the tenth-largest city in Australia.

The name "Wollongong" is believed to mean "seas of the South" in the local Aboriginal language, but is informally referred to as "The Gong".

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Wollongong East NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 Jun 2022 00:42

Given to me tonight at Brighton Philatelic Society Committee meeting tonight:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Bexley NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

Bexley is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales. Bexley is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Bayside Council and is part of the St George area.

James Chandler named the suburb after his birthplace, Bexley which is in the south-east of London, England. Chandler bought Sylvester’s Farm in 1822, from Thomas Sylvester who had been granted the land about ten years earlier. That year he was also granted 1,200 acres of land which stretched from what is now Bexley North to most of Rockdale and Kogarah.

Phoenix tells us the Bexley Post Office opened on 1st November 1882.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bexley,_New_South_Wales

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 16 Jun 2022 14:57

Received an email from John A (Librarianc) enquiring whether I had Adelaide fdi. Here are my examples below:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Adelaide fdi (28mm diameter) - 18th October 1978

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Adelaide fdi (28mm diameter) - 18th October 1978 signed by Roy Higgins (2 Melbourne Cup wins for Bart Cummings - Light Fingers 1965 & Red Handed 1965) & Harry White (4 Melbourne Cups - Think Big 1974 & 1975 & Hyperno 1979 for Bart Cummings & Arwon 1978 for George Hanlon)

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Adelaide fdi (30mm diameter) - 18th October 1978

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked GPO Adelaide fdi (25mm diameter) - 18th October 1978

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked GPO Adelaide fdi (25mm diameter) - 18th October 1978 with 55c Peter Pan stamp gutter pair (Melbourne Cup winner 1932 & 1934)

Thank you for looking for me but I am well covered for Adelaide.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 13 Jul 2022 17:42

A pick up from Brighton Philatelic Society last night:

: 1978 Australian Horse Racing fdc postmarked Parramatta "Elizabeth Farm" pictorial fdi postamrk - 18th October 1978

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 24 Jul 2022 00:01

Some recent eBay acquisitions:

: WCS fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Revesby NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

It makes a nice companion for this one:

: Aust Post fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Revesby NSW fdi - 18th October 1978

Revesby, a suburb of local government area City of Canterbury-Bankstown, is located 22 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district.

Revesby was named in 1913 in honour of Sir Joseph Banks, the botanist who sailed with Captain James Cook on the Endeavour, when he reached the east coast of Australia in 1770. Banks had inherited his father's estate of Revesby Abbey, in Lincolnshire, England, so he was known as the Squire of Revesby.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revesby,_New_South_Wales

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 24 Jul 2022 00:13

BigSaint wrote: ↑13 Mar 2022 20:11
Wee Eck wrote: ↑27 Feb 2022 16:09 I have this cover from Wagin in the wheatbelt W.A.
If it's of any use to you it yours free.
Alex.
Wee Eck

Thankyou Wagin arrived in perfect condition.

It would be great if you find any others, particularly WA, as I don't have many from WA. They don't seem to cross the Nullabour too often.

Brad

PS Wagin is a town and shire in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, approximately 225 km south-east of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Narrogin and Katanning. The main industries are wheat and sheep farming.

The name of the town is derived from Wagin Lake, a usually dry salt lake south of the town. The lake's name is of Noongar origin, and was first recorded by a surveyor in 1869–72. It means "place of emus"] or "site of the foot tracks from when the emu sat down".

The first European explorer through the area was John Septimus Roe, the Surveyor General of Western Australia in 1835 en route to Albany from Perth.

Phoenix says the Wagin Post Office opened circa January 1890.

Nice to be able to add this to my 1960 Melbourne Cup fdc shown above:

: Aust Post fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Wagin WA fdi - 18th October 1978

I was not aware I was missing this fdi postmark as it was not recorded among my list of WA fdi postmarks from Australia Post.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 24 Jul 2022 00:22

Another I was not aware I was missing as Subiaco was not recorded among my list of WA fdi postmarks from Australia Post. Many thanks to Stampboarder Scrute for drawing this to my attention, along with Wagin WA above:

: Aust Post fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Subiaco WA fdi - 18th October 1978

Subiaco (known colloquially as Subi) is an inner-western suburb of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It is approximately 3 kilometres west of Perth's central business district, in the City of Subiaco local government area. Historically a working-class suburb containing a mixture of industrial and commercial land uses, since the 1990s the area has been one of Australia's most celebrated urban redevelopment projects. It remains a predominantly low-rise, urban village neighbourhood centred around Subiaco train station and Rokeby Road.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subiaco,_Western_Australia

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 24 Jul 2022 00:28

: Aust Post fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Port Augusta SA fdi - 18th October 1978

Port Augusta is a small city in South Australia. Formerly a seaport, it is now a road traffic and railway junction city mainly located on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf immediately south of the gulf's head and about 322 kilometres north of the state capital, Adelaide. The suburb of Port Augusta West is located on the west side of the gulf on the Eyre Peninsula.

It is a natural harbour, which was proclaimed on 24 May 1852 by Alexander Elder (brother of Thomas Elder) and John Grainger, having discovered it while aboard the Government schooner Yatala, captained by Edward Dowsett. The port was named after Augusta Sophia, Lady Young, the wife of the Governor of South Australia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Augusta

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 27 Jul 2022 10:20

Hit the jackpot last night at the Brighton Philatelic Society uncatalogued auctions with 3 new fdi towns:

: Aust Post fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Mermaid Beach Qld fdi - 18th October 1978

Mermaid Beach is a coastal suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland. In the 2016 census, Mermaid Beach had a population of 6,533.

The suburb is bounded to the west by the artificial canals of adjacent Mermaid Waters and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. To the north is the suburb of Broadbeach, to the south Miami. The Gold Coast Highway passes through Mermaid Beach.

Mermaid Beach receives its name from the cutter HMS Mermaid. Explorer John Oxley sailed aboard the Mermaid in 1823 when he discovered the nearby Tweed and Brisbane rivers.

Mermaid Beach was used during World War II by US servicemen, and was named Los Angeles Beach as well as Miami Beach to the south.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaid_Beach,_Queensland

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 27 Jul 2022 10:27

Another I was not aware I was missing as Bright was not recorded among my list of Victorian fdi postmarks from Australia Post

: Aust Post fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Bright Vic fdi - 18th October 1978

Bright is a town in northeastern Victoria, 319 metres above sea level at the southeastern end of the Ovens Valley. At the 2016 census, Bright had a population of 2,406. It is in the Alpine Shire local government area. Its postcode is 3741.

Hamilton Hume and William Hovell explored the area in 1824, naming the Ovens River.

The town was first known as Morse's Creek after F.H. Morse but in 1861 it was renamed in honour of the British orator and politician John Bright. The Post Office opened on 25 January 1860 as Morse's Creek and was renamed Bright in 1866.

During the Victorian gold rush there was a rush to the nearby Buckland River.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright,_Victoria

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 27 Jul 2022 10:37

: Aust Post fdc for 1978 Australian Horse Racing stamps postmarked Hopetoun Vic fdi - 18th October 1978

Hopetoun is a town which serves as the major service centre for the Southern Mallee area of Victoria. Hopetoun is situated 400 km north-west of Melbourne on the Henty Highway in the Shire of Yarriambiack. In the 2016 census, Hopetoun had a population of 739.

The town was named after the 7th Earl of Hopetoun, the Governor of Victoria from 1889 to 1895 and later the first Governor-General of Australia. The post office opened on 12 September 1891 when the township was established.

The town has one hotel, a supermarket (IGA), a newsagent, post office, chemist/pharmacist, hairdressers, service station, one Catholic primary school and a combined primary and secondary school, Hopetoun P-12 College, which caters for surrounding townships. It also has a fast food cafe and an op shop. It has a hospital with urgent care, an acute ward and a residential aged care facility. Hopetoun Airport serves the town.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopetoun,_Victoria

It should not be confused with the locality of "Hopetoun Gardens" a locality within the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield, something that Google maps is oft to do. Many an unwary traveller has been caught by this glitch.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Aug 2022 23:33

This arrived from an eBayer in the ACT:

And inside:

: Australian 1978 Horse Racing fdc postmarked Terang Vic fdi - 18th October 1978

Terang is a town in the Western District of Victoria. The town is in the Shire of Corangamite and on the Princes Highway 212 kilometres south west of Melbourne. Terang has a population now of 2,348.

The first dwelling in the township area was built in 1840 by Donald McNicol, and consisted of a slab hut on the east bank of Lake Terang. The township was developed in the late 1850s, the post office opening on 1 March 1859.

The railway though the town was opened in 1887. From 1890 it was extended as part of Victoria's south-western line. The Mortlake line once branched from the town, opened in 1893 and closed in 1978. The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Warrnambool line.

Terang has a horse racing club, the Terang & District Racing Club, which schedules around eight race meetings a year including the Terang Cup meeting in October. Terang Harness Racing Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the town.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terang

The Terang Racecourse is one I haven't attended. I hope to make it there one day.

I remember two weeks holiday I had in my younger days. I went to 13 race meetings in 14 days. You guessed it the one I missed was in Terang.