In its 76-year history the Commonwealth Games movement has had several names – the British Empire Games, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, the British Commonwealth Games and now the Commonwealth Games, as all the Games mentioned will be referred to in this article. Further this article deals only with the seven Commonwealth Games (apart from the first Canadian Games) that have been held in the Australasian area over the passing years.

In the beginning no more than 10 sports were allowed and no team sports were let in. However, where once the lack of team sports helped solidify the Games uniqueness, it was eventually deemed to be limiting and hurting the Games appeal. So the Commonwealth Games Federation voted at its 1993 meeting in Victoria, Canada to include men’s and women’s field hockey, men’s one day cricket, men’s seven a side rugby and women’s netball for the 1998 Games. However, the choice of sports for every Games rests with the Commonwealth Games Association in the country of the host city. Incidentally another move in keeping with the times, made at the 1993 meeting, was the awarding of the 1998 Games to Asia at Malaysia for the first time. The Games bad only gone ontside the Big Four of Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand up to that time once before – Kingston, Jamaica in 1966. Since their inception the Games have been held at four yearly intervals; except during and immediately after World War II.

The I Games were held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930 with 11 participating countries. The Games were based on the Olympic mode, but with a prevailing spirit of friendliness, rather than international rivalry. A total of about 400 hundred competitors attended the first games. Women competed only in the swimming events. Twenty thousand people witnessed the birth of what has now become a valued institution on August 16, 1930.

Australia hosted the III British Empire Games held in Sydney – 1938. These were the days of expensive air travel so most of the competitors attending the Games travelled by ship. For example the Canadian contingent took 26 days to arrive in Sydney, that would take 16 hours air travel today. The British contingent of 66 competitors from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were away from home for four months, three of which were spent on board ship! A total of 466 athletes representing 15 countries made it to Sydney.

The Australian Post Office had a temporary post office located at the Games Village with a commemorative postmark and registered label. Eighty covers were registered, mainly by foreign athletes. A registered cover is shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 1: Registered cover from the Empire Games in 1938.

The IV Games were held in Auckland in 1950. Again here were worries about distance and the time it would take to get there. However 495 male and 95 female athletes from 50 countries braved the distance and were welcomed enthusiastically by the New Zealand population. The Games were a huge success with at least all of the countries attending earning at least one medal.

The VII Commonwealth Games were held in Perth from November 21 until December 1, 1962. The temperature soared to 105 degrees Fahrenheit for the Opening Ceremony. 1041 competitors from thirty-five countries attended the Games. Australia topped the medal tally with 105 medals, England was second with 78 and New Zealand third with 32 medals. The Australian Post Office announced early in 1959 that a special postage stamp would be issued to mark the occasion of the Perth Games. The design for the stamp was chosen from three submitted by Mr. George Hamori of Sydney. Later when it was decided to issue two stamps the design was amended to indicate the denomination of 2/3d (Scott 350). The design of the 7d (Scott 349) stamp was by Mr. R. Malcolm of Surfer’s Paradise. Because of stamp printing difficulties in the Note Printing Branch whilst installing its first photogravure printing press, Australia’s second photogravure issue was printed abroad by Harrison & Sons Ltd, London. The aerogramme issued for the Games was the first and the only Australian aerogramme to be printed by photogravure. The design for the left-hand motif of the item was taken from an entry submitted by M. V. Macha, of Gooseberry Hill, W.A. and was adapted by the Note Printing Branch. The front of the aerogramme is illustrated in Figure 2.

Fig.2: Aerogramme from 1962 Games in Perth

The X Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch New Zealand from January 24 – February 2, 1974. A total of 1,276 athletes, (977 men and 299 women) plus 373 team officials and 40,000 tourists were greeted rudely by Mother Nature with the coldest day in Christchurch for 36 years on the eve of the Games. All events were well attended by the New Zealand people and the Games were considered to be the friendliest and best attended to date. New Zealand Post issued a set of six stamps covering the sports of hurdles, paraplegic ball play sports, cycling, rifle shooting and lawn bowls (Scott 547-551) – illustrated in Figure 3 is Scott 547 -hurdling.

Fig.3: 1974 New Zealand Hurdling

The XII Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane from September 30 to October 9, 1982. 2,150 athletes and team officials attended the Games. The ten sports included Archery, (for the first time) athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, shooting, swimming and diving, weight-lifting and wrestling. Australia Post issued four stamps (Scott 842-844) three 27c base rate stamps featuring archery, boxing, weightlifting and one 75c pole vaulting stamp (Scott 845) for overseas mail. A miniature sheet was also issued reproducing the three base rate stamps. The archery stamp (Scott 842) is illustrated in Figure 4.

Fig.4: Australian Archery from 1982

The XIV Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, January 24 – February 3, 1990. There were 55 countries participating in the 10 sporting events. The mascot for the Games was Goldie who was depicted on the 40c value of the set of eight stamps (Scott 970-977). The mascot is featured in Figure 5.

Fig:5: 1990 Goldie the Kiwi

The XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11- 21 September 1998. For the first time team sports were part of the Games 16 sporting events. The Games were a great success with 64 countries attending the Games. Featured in Figure 5 are a gutter pair of the two stamps (Scott 523 and 524) issued to commemorate the occasion.

Fig.6: Malaysia 1998

The XVIII Melbourne Commonwealth Games will take place from 16-26 March, 2006. At least 71 countries are expected to attend the event. Nineteen different sports have been chosen by the Organising Committee for the event program. Over 4500 athletes, 1500 team officials, and 1200 technical officials are expected to be involved in the Games.

Reference books included Commonwealth Games 1930-1990 by Cleve Dheensaw ISBN 0 7333 0382, and Commonwealth Games: Melbourne 2006 – Nicholas Brasch ISBN 1 740070 282 4.