Australian Skylark Covers


This table represents event covers released for the Skylark launchs from the Woomera Rocket Range, South Australia. These represent only a small number of the over 250 Skylark launches from Woomera.

Designation Mission Type Postmark Date Station Description
SKY-01a SL306? Commem Adelaide 29/10/1965 None Blue rocket in flight cachet - Late machine postmark?
SKY-01b SL306? Commem Adelaide 29/10/1965 None Red rocket in flight cachet - Late machine postmark?
SKY-01c SL306? Commem Adelaide 30/10/1965 None Red rocket in flight cachet - Late hand postmark?
SKY-011a U/K Commem Adelaide 01/12/1967 None Blue rocket in flight cachet
SKY-02a SL761/2 Launch Woomera 31/05/1968 Woomera Rocket Range Shows rocket launch - Not a Bay Stamps cover
SKY-02c SL762 Launch Woomera 01/06/1968 Woomera Rocket Range Skylark Launch text cachet - Airmail
SKY-02d SL762 Commem Adelaide 01/06/1968 None Red rocket in flight cachet - Hand postmark
SKY-03a SL403 Commem Glenelg 09/07/1968 None Different red rocket in flight cachet plus Skylark Launch text cachet
SKY-03b SL403 Commem Glenelg 09/07/1968 None Skylark Launch text cachet including full description
SKY-04a SL781 Launch Woomera 21/01/1969 Woomera Rocket Range Airmail
SKY-04b SL781 Launch Woomera 21/01/1969 Woomera Rocket Range Rare Arthur Bergen cover
SKY-04c4 SL781 Launch Woomera 21/01/1969 Woomera Rocket Range Rare cover showing text on top of a rocket
SKY-05a SL726 Commem Adelaide 23/01/1969 None Brown rocket in flight cachet - Hand postmark
SKY-06a SL724/SL502 Commem Glenelg 02/04/1969 None Airmail
SKY-07a SL724/SL502 Launch Woomera 02/04/1969 Woomera Rocket Range Incorrectly marked SL604 & SL606 - Airmail
SKY-08a SL861 Commem Glenelg 16/10/1969 None Green rocket in flight cachet - Airmail
SKY-09a SL862 Launch Woomera 17/10/1969 Woomera Rocket Range Blue rocket in flight cachet - Airmail
SKY-10a S29/2 Launch Woomera 18/10/1969 Woomera Rocket Range Red rocket in flight cachet - Airmail
SKY-11a SL802 Commem Glenelg 24/03/1970 None Green rocket in flight cachet - Airmail
SKY-12a SL727 Commem Glenelg 11/07/1970 None Green rocket in flight cachet
SKY-13a SL971 Launch Woomera 14/07/1970 Woomera Rocket Range Brown rocket in flight cachet
SKY-14a SL811 Launch Woomera 17/07/1970 Woomera Rocket Range Blue rocket in flight cachet
SKY-15a SL972 Commem Glenelg 09/10/1970 None Red rocket over Australia cachet
SKY-16a SL1021 Launch Woomera 15/10/1970 Woomera Rocket Range Light & Dark Brown - 200th Skylark Launch
SKY-16b SL1021 Launch Woomera 15/10/1970 Woomera Rocket Range Blue - A different cachet
SKY-17a S53 Launch Woomera 16/10/1970 Woomera Rocket Range Brown on brown rocket in flight cachet
SKY-18a S58 Launch Woomera 20/10/1970 Woomera Rocket Range Brown on brown rocket in flight cachet
SKY-19a SL1001 Launch Woomera 29/01/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Brownish red on light brown rocket in flight cachet. Marked 17
SKY-20a S85 Launch Woomera 23/02/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Brownish red on light green rocket in flight cachet. Marked 18
SKY-21a S85 Launch Woomera 23/02/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Red rocket in flight cachet. Marked 19
SKY-22a SL922 Commem Glenelg 03/03/1971 None Maroon on pink rocket in flight cachet. Marked 20
SKY-23a SLB12 Launch Woomera 11/05/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Red rocket over Australia cachet. Marked 21A
SKY-23b SLB12 Launch Woomera 11/05/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Purple rocket launch & Kangaroo cachet plus black rocket in flight cachet - Not a Bay Stamps cover
SKY-24a SL812 Launch Woomera 11/05/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Red rocket over Australia cachet. Marked 21B
SKY-25a SL902 Launch Woomera 05/08/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Red rocket over Australia cachet. Marked 22
SKY-26a SL1002 Launch Woomera 27/09/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Dark blue on light blue rocket in flight cachet. Marked 23
SKY-27a S81 Launch Woomera 13/10/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Maroon on light blue rocket in flight cachet. Apollo 15 1/2. Hand cancel. Marked 24
SKY-27b S81 Launch Woomera 13/10/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Maroon on light blue rocket in flight cachet. Apollo 15 1/2. Machine cancel. Marked 24
SKY-28a SL1101 Launch Woomera 30/11/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Green on light blue rocket in flight cachet. Marked 25
SKY-29a SL903 Launch Woomera 10/12/1971 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL903
SKY-30a SL1023 Launch Woomera 16/03/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1023
SKY-31a SL1081 Launch Woomera 27/03/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1081
SKY-32a SL1022 Launch Woomera 19/10/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1022
SKY-33a SL402 Launch Woomera 24/10/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL402
SKY-34a SL1003 Launch Woomera 26/10/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1003
SKY-35a S95 Launch Woomera 02/11/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked S95
SKY-35b S95 Launch Woomera 02/11/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Card with photo of  rocket launch on back
SKY-36a SL1202 Launch Woomera 07/12/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1202
SKY-37a SL1005 Launch Woomera 11/12/1972 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1005
SKY-38a SL1205 Launch Woomera 31/01/1973 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1205
SKY-39a SL1010 Launch Woomera 01/03/1973 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1010
SKY-40a SL1004 Launch Woomera 14/03/1973 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1004
SKY-41a SL1102 Launch Woomera 20/03/1073 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1102
SKY-42a SL1011 Launch Woomera 18/04/1973 Woomera Rocket Range Green rocket in flight cachet
SKY-42b SL1011 Launch Woomera 18/04/1973 Woomera Rocket Range Red rocket launch over the desert cachet
SKY-43a SL1111 Launch Woomera 18/06/1973 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1111
SKY-44a SL1203 Launch Woomera 05/02/1974 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1203
SKY-45a SL1207 Launch Woomera 23/04/1974 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1207
SKY-46a SL98 Recovery Woomera 18/03/1975 Woomera Rocket Range In association with Helios-A from West Germany
SKY-47a SL1112 Launch Woomera 25/11/1975 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL1112
SKY-48a SL1302 Launch Woomera 30/01/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Incorrectly marked SL1203
SKY-49a SL1115 Launch Woomera 12/05/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Large airmail cover 'British Skylark 250th launched from Woomera SL1115' - Not a Bay Stamps cover
SKY-49b SL1115 Launch Woomera 13/05/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Marked 250. Skylark SL1115
SKY-49c SL1115 Launch Woomera 13/05/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Green rocket launch cachet
SKY-50a SL1212 Launch Woomera 11/06/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Marked Skylark 1212
SKY-51a SL1501 Launch Woomera 18/06/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Marked Skylark 1501
SKY-52a SL1306 Launch Woomera 05/11/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL 1306
SKY-53a SL1114 Launch Woomera 03/12/1976 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL.1114
SKY-54a SL1115A Launch Woomera 29/04/1977 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL 1115A - 28th April 1977 at 11.05pm in red
SKY-54b SL1115A Launch Woomera 29/04/1977 Woomera Rocket Range Marked SL 1115A - 28th April 1977 at 11.05pm blacked out and reprinted in black
SKY-55a Astro 4-2 Launch Woomera 22/02/1979 Woomera Rocket Range Red rocket launch cachet
SKY-56a Astro 4-1 Launch Woomera 13/03/1979 Woomera Rocket Range Blue exploded diagram of rocket
SKY-57a SUPER NOVA Launch Woomera 25/08/1987 Woomera Rocket Range Marked Skylark SL CC10 - New pictorial postmark - See also SKY-T57a
SKY-57b4a SUPER NOVA Launch Woomera 25/08/1987 Woomera Rocket Range Small rocket launch cachet and text on a Achievements in Technology FDI
SKY-58a Last Launch Commem Woomera 31/12/2004 None Postmarked for last launch of a Skylark rocket in Sweden (MASER 10). Unfortunately aborted and final launch occurred on 2 May 2005. Cover produced by Jim A Hill.
 
Tracking Covers
Designation Postmark Station Description
SL761/2 - 31/05/1968
SKY-T02a Woomera WRE Blue - McDonell stickon cachet shows a rocket on launch pad - WRE cachet
SL862 - 17/10/1969
SKY-T09a Woomera WRE SKY-09a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T09b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-09a with purple AA cachet
SKY-T09c Woomera Mirikata SKY-09a with Mirikata cachet
SKY-T09d Woomera Red Lake SKY-09a with Red Lake cachet
S29/2 - 18/10/1969
SKY-T10a Woomera WRE SKY-09a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T10b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-09a with purple AA cachet
SKY-T10c Woomera Mirikata SKY-09a with pple Mirikata cachet - Red version also exists
SKY-T10d Woomera Red Lake SKY-09a with Red Lake cachet
SL971 - 14/07/1970
SKY-T13a Woomera WRE SKY-13a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T13b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-13a with purple AA cachet
SL811 - 17/07/1970
SKY-T14a Woomera WRE SKY-14a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T14b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-14a with purple AA cachet
SL1021 - 15/10/1970
SKY-T16a Woomera WRE SKY-16a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T16b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-16a with purple AA cachet
S53 - 16/10/1970
SKY-T17a Woomera WRE SKY-17a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T17b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-17a with purple AA cachet
S58 - 20/10/1970
SKY-T18a Woomera WRE SKY-18a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T18b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-18a with purple AA cachet
S85 - 23/02/1971
SKY-T20a Woomera WRE SKY-20a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T20b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-20a with purple AA cachet
S85 - 23/02/1971
SKY-T21a Woomera WRE SKY-21a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T21b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-21a with purple AA cachet
SL1002 - 27/09/1971
SKY-T26a Woomera WRE SKY-26a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T26b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-26a with purple AA cachet
S81 - 13/10/1971
SKY-T27a Woomera WRE SKY-27a with purple WRE cachet
SKY-T27b Woomera Area Administrator SKY-27a with purple AA cachet
SL1202 - 07/12/1972
SKY-T36a Woomera WRE R.McDonell Cover with S/H cachet and purple WRE cachet
SUPER NOVA - 25/08/1987
SKY-T57a Woomera See Next Cell 5th Defence Space Communications Squadron - Not a Bay Stamps cover

 

Notes
1) See http://www.sat-net.com/serra/skylar_e.htm for a full list of all Skylark launches.
2) There may be a discrepency between the postmark date and the actual launch date of 1 day. In most cases this is due to the launch being at night after the post office had closed or on a Sunday or holiday.
3) Except where mentioned, covers were produced by Jack Koch of Bay Stamps. Launch and commemorative covers from Bay Stamps are relatively common while non-Bay Stamps covers were produced in much smaller numbers. Bay Stamps tracking covers are all scarce.
4) Sold on eBay in 2020 a) 2024

 

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Last modified on 3 June 2024

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