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The Australian flag flew for the first time in
Melbourne on 3 September 1901, following a design competition that
drew 32,823 entries.
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The Australian National Flag features the five stars of the constellation of the
Southern Cross and the Commonwealth Star, and the combined crosses of St George,
St Andrew and St Patrick. The union of crosses represents Australias early
settlers. The Commonwealth Star with its seven points represents the unity of
the six Australian states and the seventh point stands for all Australian
Territories. |
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Australian State Flags
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Each of the six states of Australia has its own flag consisting
of the Blue Ensign with the Union Jack in the upper hoist quarter,
the fly half defaced with the badge or heraldic device of the state
concerned: |
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New South Wales - Golden Lion passant (right to left) on a red St
George's Cross on a silver background (usually depicted white), with an
8-pointed star on each extremity of the cross. |
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Victoria - White
Southern Cross (one star of 8 points, 2 of 7 points one of 6 points
and one of 5 points), beneath an Imperial Crown, on a blue
background (originally without a crown, which was added in 1877). |
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Queensland - light blue Maltese Cross with an Imperial Crown at
its Centre, on a white background. |
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South Australia - the White-Backed Magpie (or Piping Shrike),
erect, wings outstretched, on a yellow background. |
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Western Australia - Black Swan swimming, right to left, on a
yellow background (prior to 1953, the swan was swimming left to
right, as on the Commonwealth Arms). |
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Tasmania - Red Lion passant (right to left) on a white
background. |
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The shields or badges of each of the Australian States are combined
in the Australian Commonwealth Arms. |
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Australian Territory Flags
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Some of the Australian Territories also have their own
flags: |
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Northern Territory - the hoist third a white Southern Cross on a
black background (5 stars, one eight-point, two 7-point, one
6-point, one 5-point), the fly two-thirds an ochre background with a
large central stylized desert rose with a black centre and seven
white petals (apparently an aspiration for seven rather than six
Australian states) - adopted in 1978. |
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Australian Capital Territory - the hoist third a white Southern
Cross on a blue background, the fly two thirds with the blue coat of
arms of the Australian Capital Territory (shield with castle,
beneath which is a rose and above crossed mace and sword, supporters
a black swan and a white swan) on a yellow background. |
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Norfolk Island - two broad vertical stripes of green on the hoist
and fly with central vertical white stipe with a silhouette of a
Norfolk Island Pine in the same green as the end stripes - adopted
in 1980. |
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Christmas Island - a diagonally divided flag with a central yellow
circle enclosing a white map of the island, lower hoist a white Southern Cross (five stars, four 7-point, one five point) on a blue
background, upper fly a yellow frigate bird flying hoist to fly on a
green background - an unofficial flag. The official flag is the Australian
national flag. |
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The remaining territories fly the Australian National Flag. |
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