This pair of stamps from the Australian Antarctic Territory, issued in 1979, commemorates historic vessels that played key roles in Antarctic exploration.

• The 10c stamp features H.M.S. Challenger, the Royal Navy ship that carried out the pioneering global oceanographic expedition of 1872–1876, which included important scientific work in southern waters.

• The 15c stamp depicts S.Y. Nimrod, used by Sir Ernest Shackleton during the 1907–1909 British Antarctic Expedition, which advanced knowledge of the Antarctic interior.

Both stamps highlight the maritime heritage of Antarctic discovery, showing detailed ship portraits set against icy seascapes. These issues are popular among collectors of polar exploration and maritime themes.