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
| 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 |
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Last modified on 28 August 2024
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