Australian Cover From Carapook

I picked this one up for fun. It's a registered letter from HW O'Halloran from Carapook, Vic to New Bedford Mass. The markings on the back imply it went from Carapook on October 4, 1938, first to Casterton, Vic, the same day. Onward to Melbourne that same night. Though it is hidden by the Registration tab, it looks like it was intended to be a First Flight? Arrived in New York on October 26, then on to New Bedford the same day.

A quick search shows that Carapook is a very small town, currently with only about 70 inhabitants. O'Halloran was probably a teacher in that town.

Nothing special about the stamps, but a nice, clean cover.

Scott 166a (1/2p) and 176 (1sh 4p) were issued in 1938 (I don't know month/day), so maybe a first day cover?

No First Flights, October 1938

Both the ½d wallaroo stamps and the 1/4d (1 shilling 4 pence) were both issued on October 3, 1938; 23 days prior to cancellation at the back of the air-mail cover; the cancellation dated October 4, 1938 was postmarked a day after the FDI of both types of stamps.

In the 2019 ACSC it states that on cover the CV for the wallaroo is $6.00, does not mention any CV of a joined pair and the CV for the KGVI is $40.00 on cover.

The wallaroo stamps, especially the first issue were plagued with flaws, should check and see if any exist on those stamps.

It is a very nice and very collectible cover.

Nice cover Partime!

The 1'4 KG6 is one of my favourite Australian commonwealth stamps.

Can you tell what the Carapook cancel dates are on the Carapook cancels on the stamps?

Good point. Retroreveal shows that the cancel for Carapook is actually October 3, 1938, making this a First Day Cover. Very difficult to see, but a very good catch. This improves the value, a bit.


Does anyone know the population of Carapook on October 3, 1938. Can't be more than a few hundred?

Always difficult in country Australia.
majority of residents will be on surrounding farms.
2016 Population 70

1886 There were 23 House lots in Carapook, and 1 school

1940 Photo, School suggests a low poulation.
http://www.poveyphotos.com/web_imag...937_1200.jpg


Carapook (Library of Congress) 1886

Carapook had a population of 193 in 1912 that had declined to 100 by 1944. The information was sourced from archived newspapers available free on "Trove"


Data for 1912


Data for 1944

Nice Research

1972 H.W.O'Halloran Cachet
372406931178

Thanks Rod. The data meshes in very well with your initial predictions.

O'Halloran was teasing me,
a man of obvious learning, possibly a geologist.
Name, Manuscript, and locale match to some degree.

...and a Philatelist

Carapook to Casterton, Thence to Melbourne.
Possible flight/s routes, to US beyond me.

I found a good website for Carapook information at http://www.swvic.org/carapook/index.html. Bill O'Halloran is shown in the background in the Cricket photo. He is only mentioned in a few places on that website.