Thousands of copies of the University of Sydney student newspaper are set to have their covers destroyed after a front page comprising 18 students' female genitalia was accidentally released due to dodgy printing.

The editors of Honi Soit had originally intended for the cover to be uncensored, but the Student Representative Council, which publishes the newspaper, requested parts of the vaginas were covered by black bars.

Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

While Honi Soit's student editors eventually agreed, the censored covers on Wednesday led to a dramatic recall after it was discovered the black bars were transparent and did little to cover the vaginas.

Last week, editors from Australia's oldest university newspaper invited women from the University of Sydney to have their vaginas photographed for the newspaper cover.