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Australia Subdivisions

Commonwealth of Australia

Last modified: 2003-07-18 by jonathan dixon
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Symbolism of Australian State and Territory Flags

I'm sorry to say that most of the badges on the Australian State Flags are effectiveley meaningless - at least officially. The state flags generally were created in the period 1870 to 1876. The practice developed within the British Empire that the Governor of a colony could add some form of local badge or coat of arms onto the Union Jack to represent his special personal rank as the Queen's representative in the colony. Similarly, ships in the service of the colonial government could use a British Blue Ensign with the badge of the colony added to the blue field - this badge was supposed to be the same as that used by the Governor on his version of the Union Jack. Ordinary citizens of the colony would, if they wanted to use a flag on land use the Union Jack without any marks. Colonial ships were generally supposed to use the British Red Ensign without a badge, though there were

Because some of the Australian state badges were originaly created to represent the Governor (as distinct from the Colony) they generally showed some element of British royal heraldry - the main criteria being that it be different from similar badges used in other parts of the Empire. Tasmania uses one red heraldic lion (Cyprus used two lions and Kenya a heraldic lion standing) whilst Queensland uses a blue Maltese Cross (Malta used a red cross). The Crown on the Queensland and Victoria badges represented the status of the Governor as representative of Queen Victoria in the Colony. Victoria adopted the Southern Cross in 1870 initially for use on the HMCS Nelson - one of the early warships of the Colonial Navy. The Southern Cross had become fairly well associated with Australia during the 19th Century, remember Eureka in 1854. After some changes to the shapes of the stars, the Western Australia's badge was the only design intended to clearly symbolise the colony. WA was originally called the Swan River Settlement and the black seal found upon the river had become recognised as representing the Colony. South Australia initially had a complicated design which was the full rendition of the colony's seal (an allegorical depiction of Brittannia and an Aboriginal), but upon Federation a simpler design was adopted. The 1904 design shows in heraldic form a local bird - what was called a Piping Shrike, a form of magpie. There has been some speculation that the stylisation of the bird was inspired by the Imperial German (and Austrian) heraldic eagle.

The Northern Territory flag was designed in 1978 upon the granting of self government. Since the Northern Territory was never a British Colony, it never was given a colonial badge as used by the States. The main device is a stylised local flower - Sturts desert rose with the seven petals forming a seven pointed star symbolic of the Territory as potentially the seventh state. The Southern Cross represents NT's location and the style of the stars is the same as used by Victoria (since the designer was a Victorian artist). The colour Ochre represents the NT earth and the black panel is regarded by some as representing the aboriginal people.

The Norfolk Island flag features the Norfolk Island pine and has no significance other than its natural uniqueness to the island and traditional use as a symbolic representation of the island.

The ACT flag follows the pattern established by the NT. features the coat of arms of Canberra - much of the symbolism representing government. The dark and light swans represent Aboriginal and European Australians. The colours blue and yellow were long regarded as Australia's heraldic colours and became associated with the ACT.

The Christmas Island flag is an unofficial community flag and the design includes a map of the island and a frigate bird. It should be noted that a lot of the symbolism of flags is invented long after they have been designed - and sometimes is revised when a different political fashion achieves power. Many flags are just geometric arrangements that have, through use, come to become identified with a political entity. That most of the Australian state flags are so poor in representing their locations is the result of history - but that same history prevents many from redesigning the flags so that they serve their principle purpose of being identifiable and representative of the state.
Ralph Kelly, 19 September 1999


Was the NSW ensign sometimes made in a simplified form without the lion and stars ?

One of the flags in a photograph of the opening of the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington in 1902 is a British ensign with a cross on a white circle in the fly. The ensign that it most nearly resembles is that of NSW, but there are definitely no emblems on the cross.
David Prothero, 19 September 1999


The Northern Territory flag was designed by Robert Ingped and Elisabeth Letham, adopted on 1 July 1978. Sturt Desert Rose is scientifically named Gossypium sturtianum.

The Norfolk Is. flag was adopted with a law issued on January 1st, 1980, effective 17 January 1980. The pine is scientifically named Araucaria excelsa.

The Christmas Is. flag is in use since 1987.
Pier Paolo Lugli, 21 September 1999