Australia's first Coastal pilot service was the Queensland Coast and Torres Strait Pilot Service, founded in August 1884 and still in existence. Qualified master mariners with specialised knowledge of Queensland's hazardous coastal waters guide shipping safely through the maze of rocks, reefs, coral cays and islands extending from New South Wales border to Torres Strait - the longest coastal Pilotage route in the world.
Originally, pilots were ferried to and from ships via a six-oared whale-boat. Then in 1908 the Service acquired its first motor launch. Torres, shown on the envelope with modern counterpart, Torpilot. A map illustrates graphically the extent of the Service. In the stamp area is the badge of the Queensland Coast and Torres Strait Pilot Service, displaying as its central element, Luis Baez de Torres ship San Pedrico, which is 1606 made the first recorded passage through the treacherous Torres Strait.
This cover was released on 6th August 1984.
No comments:
Post a Comment