The first of the 4-value "scenic" stamps was the Mountain Scenes set issued on 5th December 1973.

Mountains featured are:

6c ... Mitre Peak, Milford Sound.

8c ... Mt Ngauruhoe.

18c ... Mt Sefton.

23c ... Burnett Range.

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Mint unhinged and in pristine condition.

ACS # 515 - 518. Catalogue value = $10.

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Mount Ngauruhoe is an active stratovolcano or composite cone, made from layers of lava and tephra. It is the youngest vent in the Tongariro volcanic complex on the Central Plateau of the North Island, and first erupted about 2,500 years ago. Although seen by most as a volcano in its own right, it is technically a secondary cone of Mount Tongariro.

The volcano lies between the active volcanoes of Mount Tongariro to the north and Mount Ruapehu to the south, to the west of the Rangipo Desert and 25 kilometres to the south of the southern shore of Lake Taupo.

Mitre Peak is an iconic mountain in the South Island. It is one of the most photographed peaks in the country.

The distinctive shape of the peak in southern New Zealand gives the mountain its name, after the mitre headwear of Christian bishops. It was named by a survey crew from the HMS Acheron.

Part of the reason for its iconic status is its location. Close to the shore of Milford Sound, in the Fiordland National Park in the southwestern South Island, it is a stunning sight. Rising to 1,692 metres (i.e. just over a mile) from the water of the sound (more technically a fjord), it is actually a closely grouped set of five peaks, although from most easily accessible viewpoints it appears as a single point.

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