Golden Moments

Stamps of the Commonwealth Games

18 February - 30 April 2006
Curated by Richard Breckon

Calls for a "British Empire Games" to be held mid-way between the Olympic Games led to the first Empire Games being staged in 1930. The Commonwealth Games - as the Empire Games ultimately became known - has embraced 75 years of sporting endeavours. Eighteen Commonwealth Games (including 2006 Melbourne) have been held at four-year intervals, except for 1942 and 1946, through wartime interruption.

The Commonwealth Games have been staged in Australia on four occasions - Sydney (1938), Perth (1962), Brisbane (1982) and Melbourne (2006). The Games has traditionally been dominated by the "big four" - Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. All but two of the 18 Commonwealth Games have been hosted by one of these four nations. Perhaps they will be shared more widely in the future, since the 2010 Games have been awarded to Delhi, India.