Ray Chapman's Australian Commonwealth collection is recognised internationally as the most comprehensive collection of Australian stamps ever formed.  It has been awarded several gold medals at international exhibitions and was the first Australian exhibit to be awarded a gold medal at an FIP World Exhibition.

Ray has judged at a number of international and National Exhibitions and was Chairman of the Jury on several occasions.  He was Australia's representative at the FIP Congress in Paris in 1982, where he presented Australia's case to hold its first World Philatelic Exhibition, Ausipex '84, in Melbourne.  He was President of the Exhibition and served on many of its committees.

Ray was on the Executive of the Australian Philatelic Federation from 1987 to 1992 and has also been a member of the Victorian Philatelic Council and the New South Wales Stamp Council.

He is a long standing member of the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria, serving as President in 1984-1985.  He was awarded the David Hill Medal for services to the Society in 1984 and the JRW Purves Medal in 1995.  A member of the Royal Philatelic Society, London, Ray was elected a Fellow in 1983 and invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1987.

Ray has published widely on the stamps of the Australian Commonwealth, including research work on the plating of the £2 kangaroo stamp.  He was consulting editor to Stamp News and editor of APF News for a number of years.  He also promoted philately through a series of radio programmes and talks.  He was also a member of Australia Post's Advisory Committee from 1979 to 1985.