Australian Space Related FDCs


Australia Post only started issuing 'official' FDCs in March 1970. Before then, there were many private FDC producers. After Australia Post started issuing FDCs, most private producers dropped out. Benham Silk and Wesley covers are the only significant producers that survived. Predecimal FDCs are normally addressed as was required by the existing postal regulations.
Complementary FDI postmarks were introduced in September 1985. These are pictorial FDI postmarks designed for a specific stamp issue. They are the forerunners of the National FDI Postmarks which were introduced in August 1987.

There are basicly five types of FDI postmarks. Note that not all are available for every stamp issue, especially earlier issues. Only the first three types are documented in the table.
a) National FDI Postmark - this is the official Australia Post national postmark for the appropriate issue. It is normally pictorial. An example is the Melbourne Vic postmark for the Halley's Comet stamp.
b) Special Pictorial Postmark - For many issues Australia Post issues temporary pictorial postmarks for towns with a special association with the subject depicted on the stamp. An example is the Alice Springs NT postmark for the Halley's Comet stamp.
c) Normal Pictorial Postmark - For some stamp issues the normal pictorial postmark for a particular town may have special relevance. An example is the Parks NSW postmark for the Halley's Comet stamp.
d) Normal FDI Postmark - Most (if not all) Post Offices have a normal FDI postmark which is usually non-pictorial. An example is the Sydney Philatelic Sales Centre NSW postmark or the Woden ACT postmark for the Halley's Comet stamp.
e) Normal Postmark - A cover with a Post Office's normal postmark dated on the correct day would be considered a FDC. These are most common on pre-decimal FDCs.

Centenary of the International Telecommunications Union Stamp - 10 May 1965

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Wesley FDC Type 1   Radio Tower, the Earth & Telephone Handset - Brown/Red/White/Silver
Wesley FDC Type 2   Radio Tower, the Earth & Telephone Handset - Brown/Red/Green/Yellow
Wesley FDC Type 3   General Wesley FDC
Royal FDC Type 1   Various communication devices & the Earth with a lightening bolt - Aqua, Orange & Silver
Royal FDC Type 2   Various communication devices & the Earth with a lightening bolt- Light Blue, Red & Black
Royal FDC Type 3   Various communication devices & the Earth with a lightening bolt - Aqua, Maroon & Silver
Royal FDC Type 4   Various communication devices & the Earth with a lightening bolt - Green, Maroon & Silver
Sigma FDC   Text only describes the reason for the Stamp Issue
ACCA (Australian Cover Collectors' Association) Type 1    Broadcast Tower, map of the world & Telephone Handset - Green/Red/Black
Different to the Wesley cachet
ACCA (Australian Cover Collectors' Association) Type 2   Broadcast Tower, map of the world & Telephone Handset - Aqua/Red/Black
Different to the Wesley cachet
ACCA (Australian Cover Collectors' Association) Type 3   Broadcast Tower, map of the world & Telephone Handset - Orange/Red/Black
Different to the Wesley cachet
Australia Post Shield1   The Australian Post Office Generic Shield FDC
Leslie Grant   Large red and green text cachet
     
World Weather Watch Stamps - 20 March 1968

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Wesley FDC Type 1   'World Weather Watch & Satellite Communication' - Weather Balloon, Earth and Weather Station - Light & Dark Green
Wesley FDC Type 2   'World Weather Watch & Satellite Communication' - Weather Balloon, Earth and Weather Station - Yellow & Green
Wesley FDC Type 3   'World Weather Watch & Satellite Communication' - Weather Balloon, Earth and Weather Station - Pink & Green
Wesley FDC Type 4   'World Weather Watch & Satellite Communication' - Weather Balloon, Earth and Weather Station - Peach & Green
Wesley FDC Type 5   Text only general Wesley FDC
Royal FDC Type 1   'World Weather Watch & Communication Satellites' - Intelsat Satellite , Earth Station & Map of Australia - Black, Blue & Orange
Royal FDC Type 2   'World Weather Watch & Communication Satellites' - Intelsat Satellite , Earth Station & Map of Australia - Green, Blue & Orange
Royal FDC Type 3   'World Weather Watch & Communication Satellites' - Intelsat Satellite , Earth Station & Map of Australia - Brown, Blue & Orange
Royal FDC Type 4   'World Weather Watch & Communication Satellites' - Intelsat Satellite , Earth Station & Map of Australia - Black, Green & Orange
Royal FDC Type 5   'World Weather Watch & Communication Satellites' - Intelsat Satellite , Earth Station & Map of Australia - Brown, Green & Orange
Royal Hand Drawn FDC   A hand drawn version of a Royal cachet
Sigma FDC   'World Weather Watch Satellites' - Earth divided into four seasons with 3 orbiting satellites - Black & light Blue
Excelsior FDC Type 1   'World Weather Watch' - Earth, satellite, satellite receiving dish & a satellite receiving station - Blue, yellow & gold
Excelsior FDC Type 2   'World Weather Watch' - Earth, satellite, satellite receiving dish & a satellite receiving station - Blue, yellow & silver
Excelsior FDC Type 3   'World Weather Watch' - Earth, satellite, satellite receiving dish & a satellite receiving station - Dark Blue, orange & gold
Excelsior FDC Type 4   'World Weather Watch' - Earth, satellite, satellite receiving dish & a satellite receiving station - Dark Blue, orange & silver
U/K FDC Type 1-1a*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below - Blue, Aqua and Silver
U/K FDC Type 1-1b*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below - Blue, Light Green and Silver
U/K FDC Type 1-1c*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below - Blue, Gray and Silver
U/K FDC Type 1-1d*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below - Blue, Pink and Silver
U/K FDC Type 1-2a*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below - Red, Aqua and Silver
U/K FDC Type 1-2b*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below Red, Light Green and Silver
U/K FDC Type 1-3a*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below Brown, Aqua and Silver
U/K FDC Type 1-3c*   'World Weather Watch' - Satellite above the Earth with an Earth Station below Brown, Grey-Green and Silver
U/K FDC Type 2   B&W cachet shows a number of satellites above the Earth
Orbit Cachet   Red & yellow cachet shows map of Australia, rocket and satellite
Australia Post Shield2   Australian Post Office Shield Generic FDC
Australia Post Hermes3   Australian Post Office Hermes Generic FDC
Seven Seas Generic FDC   Shows a map of Australia and a compass
U/K FDC Type 3   Shows a Koala in a tree
     
Satellite Communications Stamp - 20th March 1968

Cover

 

Description of Cover

also see above   also see above
Excelsior FDC Type 1   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Gold, Black & Gold - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 2   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Gold, Black & Aqua - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 3   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Gold, Black & Green - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 4   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Gold, Black & Red - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 5   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Orange, Black & Gold - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 6   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Orange, Black & Blue - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 7   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Orange, Black & Green - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 8   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Orange, Black & Silver - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
Excelsior FDC Type 9   'Telecommunication Via Satellite' - Map of Eastern Australia & NZ & Satellite Receiving Dish & Satellite - Gold, Black & Silver - also used for World Weather Watch stamps
U/K FDC Type 1*   'Satellite Communication Earth Station Moree' - very similar to the WWW U'K FDCs - Red, Light Green and Silver
U/K FDC Type 2*   'Satellite Communication Earth Station Moree' - very similar to the WWW U'K FDCs - Red, Aqua and Silver
U/K FDC Type 3*   'Satellite Communication Earth Station Moree' - very similar to the WWW U'K FDCs - Blue, Pink & Silver
U/K FDC Type 4*   'Satellite Communication Earth Station Moree' - very similar to the WWW U'K FDCs - Green, Pink & Silver
U/K FDC Type 5*   'Satellite Communication Earth Station Moree' - very similar to the WWW U'K FDCs - Dark Blue, Light Blue & Silver
U/K FDC Type 6*   'Satellite Communication Earth Station Moree' - very similar to the WWW U'K FDCs - Green, Aqua & Silver
     
Australian Scientific Development - 14 May 1975
Official Australia Post FDC   Covers shows a large number of coloured circles
Wesley FDC   4 identical covers in different colours show the symbols of the four scientific developments including the Radio Telescope and Oceanography (satellite). The colours are yellow & brown; green & brown; yellow & red and green & red.
     
World Communications Year 1983 - 18 May 1983
Note that although the stamp did not have a space related theme, the associated postmark and some FDCs did.
Official Australia Post FDC   Cover shows the same design as the stamp
Benham Silk FDC   Cover shows a satellite orbiting the Earth and includes Earth's magnatic fields
Sterling Silk FDC   Cover shows the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communications Radio Dish
     
Electronic Mail - 18 September 1985
Official Australia Post FDC a Cover shows the stamp design resembling a dish antenna
     
AUSSAT - 24 January 1986

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Official Australia Post FDC   Cover shows a Shuttle launch
 Wesley FDC   Cover shows the Shuttle & AUSSAT above the Earth
 Benham Silk FDC Type 1   Cover shows AUSSAT satellite in orbit above the Earth
 Benham Silk FDC Type 2   Cover shows Parks Radio Telescope
 Postmark Type  Description of Postmark 
Melbourne Vic a Postmark shows Map of Australia & AUSSAT Satellite
Frenchs Forest NSW b Postmark shows map of Australia & AUSSAT Satellite - Earth Station Belrose
 Siding Spring Coonabarabran NSW c Postmark shows Siding Spring Observatory & Southern Cross
 Parks NSW c Postmark shows Parks' Radio Telescope & Southern Cross
Woomera SA c Postmark shows Astronomical Device
 
Halley's Comet Stamp - 9 April 1986

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Official Australia Post FDC   Cover shows Parks radio telescope
Wesley FDC   Cover shows an ancient tapestry showing a visit by Halley's comet
Benham Silk FDC   Cover shows a spaceprobe approaching Halley's comet
Sterling Silk FDC   6 different covers showing various views of the comet
Fleetwood FDC   Cover shows Delphinus, the Dolphin
Tennant Creek   Cover has a' Visit Tennant Creek Comet Country' self-adhesive
Comet   Australia Post cover for the town of Comet shows a rural scene with Halley's comet overhead - only available with Comet Qld postmark
Comet   Unkown cachet shows an old observatory?
 Postmark Type  Description of Postmark 
Melbourne Vic a Postmark shows Halley's Comet & a telescope
Alice Springs NT b Postmark shows Edmond Halley
 Comet Qld b Postmark shows map of Queensland with comet trail leading to the town of Comet
 Siding Spring Coonabarabran NSW  c Postmark shows Siding Spring Observatory & Southern Cross
 Parks NSW  c Postmark shows Parks' Radio Telescope & Southern Cross
 
 International Space Year Stamps & Minisheet - 19 March 1992

Cover

 

Description of Cover

 Official Australia Post FDC Type 1   Cover shows a closeup view of part of Australia from space
Official Australia Post FDC Type 2   Cover shows a rocket soon after launch
 Wesley FDC
Type 1
  Cover shows a telescope and 3 moons/planets including Saturn
 Wesley FDC
Type 2
  Cover shows US Mercury capsule
 Postmark Type  Description of Postmark 
Siding Spring Coonabarabran NSW a Postmark shows the Southern Cross
St. George's WA b Postmark shows satellite and broadcast tower
Frenchs Forest NSW c Postmark shows map of Australia & AUSSAT Satellite - Earth Station Belrose
Parkes NSW c Postmark shows Parks' Radio Telescope & Southern Cross
Woomera c Postmark is symbolic - See Woomera under postmarks
     
World Columbian Stamp Expo - 22-31 May 1992
Wesley FDC   Pmk shows the Shuttle in flight on a ISY minisheet
     
Space Week (Mars Colonisation) Stamps & Minisheet - 3 October 2000

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   Cover shows the Southern Cross and surounding stars
Official Australia Post FDC P&S Stamps   Cover shows the Southern Cross and surounding stars
Official Australia Post FDC Minisheet   Cover shows the Southern Cross and surounding stars
Wesley FDC Gummed Stamps   Cover shows a Futuristic Space Colony on Mars
Wesley FDC Minisheet   Cover shows a Futuristic 'X-Fighter'
Alpha FDC Type 1   Cover shows Shuttle being Launched
Alpha FDC Type 2   Cover shows Astronaut working on the HST
Alpha FDC Type 3   Cover shows Shuttle in Orbit
Alpha FDC P&S   Cover shows Astronaut during EVA
Alpha FDC Minisheet   Cover shows a different view of Astronaut during EVA
 Postmark Type  Description of Postmark 
Launching Place Vic a Postmark shows cartoon spacecraft with alien pilot
Woomera SA c Standard Woomera pictorial postmark. See also the P&S version.
Murchison Vic c Standard Murchison pictorial postmark on P&S stamps.
     
Blast Off! - 50 Years of Space - Stamp Collecting Month - 2 October 2007

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   Cover shows an artists concept of an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope
Official Australia Post FDC P&S Stamps   Cover shows an artists concept of an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope
Official Australia Post FDC Minisheet   Cover shows an artists concept of an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope
Wesley FDC Gummed Stamps   Cover shows Blast Off Motif + Sputnik & Shuttle & views of the Shuttle
Wesley FDC P&S Stamps   Cover shows Blast Off Motif + Sputnik & Shuttle & views of Astronauts, Shuttle & Gemini
Wesley FDC Minisheet   Cover shows Blast Off Motif + Sputnik & Shuttle & views of various spacecraft & satellites
Wesley FDC Gutter Strip   Cover shows Blast Off Motif + Sputnik & Shuttle & views of various spacecraft & satellites in orbit
Wesley FDC Booklet Stamps   Cover shows Blast Off Motif + Sputnik & Shuttle & astronaut during EVA
Wesley FDC Prestige Booklet Minisheets 1-5   Each Cover shows a scene similar to the minisheet (2 x 50c identical stamps) as follows 1)Sputnik    2)First Space Walk    3)First Moon Walk    4)Voyager    5)International Space Station
Wesley FDC Prestige Booklet Minisheet 6   Cover (2 x $1 stamp) shows Blast Off Moti + Sputnik & Shuttle & the International Space Station
Wesley FDC Prestige Booklet Minisheet 7   Cover (5 x 50c different stamps) shows Blast Off Motif + Sputnik & Shuttle, the rings of Saturn & various Space scenes
Nirlay Kundu FDCs   Nirlay Kundu produced a series of handpainted and then laser printed FDCs of the six stamps plus the larger hubble stamp from the minisheet. He used two different handpainted views; one of the Hubble telescope and one of an astronaut during an EVA.
 Postmark Type  Description of Postmark 
Woomera SA a Postmark shows the Earth with text forming an orbit
     
APTA VPC Show Minisheet - 8 December 2007

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Wesley FDC   Cover shows Blast Off Motif + Sputnik & Shuttle & views of various space related objects
     
Stargazing: The Southern Skies - 25 August 2009

Cover

 

Description of Cover

Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   The FDC shows star trails
Official Australia Post FDC Minisheet   The FDC shows star trails
Wesley FDC Gummed Stamps   The covers shows a spiral galaxy
Wesley FDC Minisheet   The cover shows a view of the sky
Geoff Sherrington FDCs   Geoff Sherrington produced a number of FDCs for this issue. One example shows the Cat's Eye Galaxy while another shows a nebula.
 Postmark Type  Description of Postmark 
Southern Cross WA a Postmark shows the Southern Cross
     
Headline News - 23 July 2013
Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   The FDC shows a pile of newspapers
Official Australia Post FDC P&S Stamps   The FDC shows a pile of newspapers
Official Australia Post FDC Minisheet   The FDC shows a pile of newspapers
Wesley FDC Walking on the Moon Minisheet   The FDC shows an Astronaut on the Moon
Wesley FDC Gutter Strip   The FDC shows WWII ending celebrations
     
Our Solar System 22 September 2015
Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   The FDC shows the solar system with part orbits in yellow
Official Australia Post FDC Minisheet   Only yellow part orbits are visible
FDC Booklet Stamps on Aust. Post FDC   Unofficial FDC of 4 x 70c booklet stamps postmarked at Rose?
Wesley FDC Gummed Stamps   FDC of the gummed stamps
Wesley FDC Minisheet   FDC of the minisheet
Wesley FDC Booklet Stamps - 1   FDC of  70c booklet Earth and Uranus stamps
Wesley FDC Booklet Stamps - 2   FDC of  70c booklet Venus and Neptune stamps
Wesley FDC Booklet Stamps - 3   FDC of  booklet pane of 70c Venus and Neptune stamps
 Postmark Type   
Sunshine Vic a Sun & planet orbits
     
WRESAT 50th Anniversary 12 September 2017
Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamp   The FDC shows Redstone rocket plus the Earth showing Australia with satellite in orbit
Postmark Type  
Woomera SA a WRESAT satellite
     
50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 - 16 July 2019
Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   The FDC shows the famous footprint on the moon
Official Australia Post FDC P&S Stamps   The FDC shows the famous footprint on the moon
Official Australia Post FDC Minisheet   The FDC shows the famous footprint on the moon
Peter Hatcher FDCs   a) Astronaut b) Lunar Lander c) Honeysuckle Creek d) Parkes
Postmark Type  
Parkes NSW a Astronaut on the Moon with Earth in the Sky
     
50th Anniversary of the Murchison Meteorite - 10 September 2019
Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamp   Shows the meteorite plus newspaper articles
Wesley FDC Stamp   Shows the meteor above the Earth
Wesley FDC Sheetlet   Different view of the meteor above the Earth
Unknown FDC1   Shows the meteor and a piece of the meteorite
Postmark Type  
Murchison Vic a Shows the meteorite in front of a bridge
     
Space Week - STEAM Subjects - 3 August 2021
Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   Shows a drone - Full STEAM Ahead
Official Australia Post FDC P&S Stamps   Drone hidden by the minisheet - Full STEAM Ahead
Peter Hatcher FDC   FDC for Space Study stamp only shows an Astronaut during an EVA
Postmark Type  
Bright Vic a Shows a Rocket
     
Ningaloo Solar Eclipse - 11 April 2023
Official Australia Post FDC Gummed Stamps   Shows different stages of the eclipse
Official Australia Post FDC Minisheet   Cachet almost completely covered by minisheet
Peter Hatcher FDC of all 3 stamps   Shows three views of the eclipse
Peter Hatcher FDC of the total eclipse stamp   Just shows the total eclipse
Postmark Type  
Exmouth WA a Shows an almost full eclipse


* Produced by Perc McCallum of Parade Covers
# Can appear dark blue or black

 

Special Versions
Cover Description
Royal FDC Type 1a Trial Cover - Green, Maroon & Silver & marked Specimen - no postmark
Royal FDC Type 1b Trial Cover - Aqua, Maroon & Silver & marked Specimen - no postmark
 
Note a: Dates are in day/month/year format
Note b: Only items with a significant direct relation to Space are listed

 

 

 


Notes: 
1) Several colours exist: Open Gray, Open Rust, Solid Rust, Solid Brown-Grey
2) Several colours exist: Open Grey, Open Rust, Solid Slate, Solid RustSolid Green-Grey, Solid Brown-Grey, Long Open Rust (rare), Long Solid Brown-Grey (rare), Long Solid Slate (rare)
 Only issued in 1969/1970 and therefore not available: Medium Solid Green, Long Open Grey, Solid Yellow-Olive
3) Very late usage of PO Hermes generic FDC which was replaced in 1964 by the Shield type generic FDC. Seen on eBay.

 

 

 

 

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