This note was issued by the Reserve Bank of Australia to mark the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the first European settlers. Designs on the note celebrate the variety of cultures within the country. One side depicts the ship HMS Supply and a group of people against a view of the early British settlement at Sydney Cove. The other side of the note portrays elements of Aboriginal culture, including ancient rock painting, an Aboriginal youth and a ceremonial Morning Star Pole. Background patterns are taken from designs specially commissioned from Aboriginal artists. The note is also unusual because it is not made of paper. There had been earlier experiments with plastic notes, in Haiti and the Isle of Man, but this Australian note is printed on a polymer material developed after many years of research. All Australian notes are now made of polymer. Dimensions: 155mm long x 78mm wide.

In 1979 the Australian Government announced the intention of establishing The Australian Bicentennial Authority to plan and coordinate a national program of celebrations in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the first European settlement in Australia. The themes of the celebrations were ‘Living Together’ and ‘Celebration of a Nation’.

The Authority’s task was to plan, co-ordinate and promote the celebrations for the Bicentenary that included the widest possible participation by the community. The brief included encouraging involvement in the program by the shareholder governments, local government authorities, community groups, the corporate sector, the public generally and the international community.