The Australian Airmail Society was founded in South Australia during October 1968 when a meeting of aerophilatelic enthusiasts gathered in the office of Nelson Eustis in Gawler Place, Adelaide. Ted Roberts was elected President and Nelson Eustis the Secretary, positions each held for a long time, Ted until a few years before his death in 1997 – Nelson until his death in 2003. Today, the society is still based in Adelaide and meets at SAPHIL House, 22 Gray Court, Adelaide every month . The society has an extensive specialised library holding which is housed at SAPHIL house.

Apart from fostering aerophilately generally, the society has organised a number of re-enactments of important pioneer flights. The most ambitious was that which in 1969 commemorated the epic Ross Smith 1919 England – Australia flight. This resultant highly successful operation was brought about with the cooperation of almost every postal administration en-route, especially Australia. Scheduled airlines brought the official commemorative airmails to Singapore where they were transferred to a TAA DC-3 chartered by the society. From Singapore the DC-3 with a full complement of society members, flew the mailbags via Indonesia and Portuguese Timor through to Melbourne.

Other important re-enactments have featured the 1926 Pacific first flights on the 50th anniversary in 1976. The 1910 first Australian flight at Bolivar, near Adelaide; the 1917 Adelaide-Gawler and Captain Harry Butler’s Minlaton mails have been commemorated a number of times.

In 1988 the society organised Aeropex 88, an exhibition of airmails with international participation, in the Adelaide Town Hall. It was such a great success the society staged a repeat show, Aeropex 94 in the same venue and with similar success. The society also held a successful Aeropex 2003 in the Old Meeting Hall at the rear of the Adelaide Town Hall which was attended by Nancy Bird & Jon Johansen.

A members’ magazine, The Australian Aerophilatelist, is published quarterly by the society and is included in the yearly subscription of $A15. The society has many overseas members, particularly in the UK where Australian aerophilately is very popular.

Membership enquiries should be directed to the society at PO Box 395, Edwardstown SA 5039

The society has always been favoured with famous people as patrons, beginning with Sir Hudson Fysh and followed by ‘Nobby’ Buckley, Ernie Crome, ‘Scotty’ Allan and Nancy Bird. The current patron is vacant and the vice-patron Dick Smith.