The gutter strip consists of 10 stamps from the Christmas-Secular stamp issue, five on either side of the blank strip separating the two panes of a stamp sheet.

This Christmas, Santa is visiting his many loyal friends on Victoria’s Phillip Island, a haven for wildlife and home to the famous Penguin Parade. Connected to the mainland by a 640-metre-long bridge, the island is only a 90-minute drive from Melbourne and a popular destination for day trippers. The island teems with a variety of wildlife, all eager to catch a glimpse of their special guest. Santa arrives at dusk, just when Little Penguins scurry up the beach after a day in the ocean. Everyone joins in the fun! Little Penguins don festive hats and contribute gifts to the growing pile of presents, enthusiastic Pelicans carry decorative baubles, a Hooded Plover and Cape Barren Goose pull a Christmas cracker, and an Eastern Barred Bandicoot, Fur Seal and Echidna admire a festive Santa sandman. In the distance, a cautious Swamp Wallaby observes the general merriment.