Illustrated 'Mr William J Farrer' cover with typed 'SPECIAL AIRMAIL FLIGHT TO MACQUARIE ISLAND' at top franked with Australian 1948 2½d scarlet (SG 225) tied by A.N.A.R.E. MACQUARIE IS cds dated 4 AUG 1948 with dark blue & light blue airmail label and two line 'AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANTARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION 1947' cachet in purple. Addressed to AUSTRALIA with arrival cds on reverse. The flying boat 'Catalina' of the R.A.A.F. made the emergency flight to Macquarie Island but only stayed 2 hours and was unable to collect the mail for the return flight. This was instead sent on the H.M.S. Labuan which called at the island in April 1949.