Australia Post releases postal stationery for the 125th anniversary of the Australian flag

Australia Post released postal stationery on 3 September 2026 marking the 125th anniversary of the first raising of the Australian national flag. The prepaid envelope was issued on the anniversary date itself, linking the postal release to the moment on 3 September 1901 when the winning flag design was first flown from the dome of Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building.

The official Australia Post product page identifies the item as the “125th Anniversary of the Australian Flag PPE,” with a listed price of A$2.15. It is prepaid for one posting to any destination within Australia. Australia Post gives an issue date of 3 September 2026 and an issue withdrawal date of 30 September 2027, placing the stationery within a defined period of postal availability rather than as an undated souvenir product.

The historical background supplied by Australia Post recalls the public competition held after Federation in 1901, which attracted 32,823 entries. The resulting design combined the Union Jack, Commonwealth Star and Southern Cross. The Commonwealth Star originally had six points for the six states, with a seventh added in 1908 to represent the territories. The flag was later formally recognised under the Flags Act 1954.

For postal-stationery collectors, the release is significant because it marks the anniversary through a prepaid postal item rather than only through a conventional adhesive stamp. It therefore fits collections of Australian postal stationery, national symbols, Federation history and flag-themed philately. The exact anniversary date also gives commercially used examples posted on or near 3 September added postal-history interest.

Australia Post’s online listing currently describes the item as unavailable or out of stock, while also offering notification when stock returns. That availability status may change, but it does not affect the documented 3 September issue date.