Flag | National Museum of Australia

A new flag for an independent nation

The Australian flag. Photo: Lachlan Fearnley

Postcard with an image of a koala climbing a flag pole which has the Australian flag at the top. There is a sprig of holly and a spray of wattle at the base of the flag pole. Text across the bottom reads 'Christmas greetings from the Australian War Contingent Association., London 1916.' - click to view larger image — ‘Christmas greetings from the Australian War Contingent Association’ postcard, 1916. State Library of Victoria

From 1788 until 1954 Australia's national flag was the Union Jack, a legacy of Australia's enduring relationship with Britain.

With Federation in 1901, a competition was held to design the new shipping ensigns Australia required as an independent nation.

The winning design featured a Union Jack in the top left corner, the Southern Cross and a Commonwealth star whose points represented the six federating states. When flown with the blue or the red ensign, the Union Jack always took precedence.

The passing of the Flags Act in 1953 made the blue ensign Australia's official flag, but only from 1964 did it fly alone from Parliament House.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags were proclaimed official flags in 1995, after Indigenous sprinter Cathy Freeman ran a victory lap with the Aboriginal flag at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Torres Strait Islander flag

While the Aboriginal flag is recognised locally and internationally as a symbol of Indigenous pride and the continuing struggle for justice, the Torres Strait Islander flag is less well-known.

The colours of the Torres Strait Islander flag, designed in 1992, symbolise land (green), sea (blue), people (black) and peace (white). The flag features a traditional headdress (dhari), representing the Torres Strait Islander people, and a five pointed star, representing the five major island groups.

The Torres Strait Islander flag. National Museum of Australia

Different interpretations

In December 2005, a week after the Cronulla riots, an anti-racism rally was held in Sydney. A number of protesters stood in silence with their heads wrapped in Australian flags, symbolising the association of the flag with blind patriotism. Images of this protest were later used by newspapers in articles about far-right nationalist groups hijacking the Australian flag.

This misrepresentation demonstrates how easily images and symbols can be interpreted differently, depending on context and point of view.

A comment on ignorant, blind 'patriotism'. Photo: Gavin Gatenby

Australian flag imagery

A poster of a young woman, dressed in a cream-coloured off-the-shoulder dress, holding the Australian flag. A group of soldiers march past in the the background to her left. The text reads 'MAKE YOUR MONEY FIGHT. Buy WAR LOAN BONDS'. - click to view larger image — 'Make your money fight' poster, about 1916

A poster showing a soldier riding a horse. The soldier holds a flag in his right hand and a drawn sword in his left. The text reads 'COME ON BOYS. FOLLOW THE FLAG!' - click to view larger image — 'Come on boys' poster, about 1916

Circular badge with an olive-coloured border with the words 'Australia Day 1918' printed in white. The central image shows a kookaburra sitting on an Australian flag, surrounded by yellow wattle blossoms and red trumpet-like flowers. - click to view larger image — Australia Day badge, 1918

A coloured picture featuring a woman in the foreground and an Australian flag in the background. The woman has her arms outstretched to the front. The text reads 'WOMEN! HELP AUSTRALIA'S SONS WIN THE WAR. BUY WAR LOAN BONDS'. - click to view larger image — 'Women! Help Australia's sons to win the war' poster, about 1918

A coloured picture featuring a large ship in a circular-wreathed frame. An image of the Australian coat of arms with an Australian flag and Union Jack on either side is at the base of the frame. The text reads 'COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA. UNMASKING THE PEACE LOAN. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED HERE'. - click to view larger image — 'Unmasking the peace loan' poster, 1914–1918

A black and white group photograph of a group of students and a teacher, in three rows, sitting in front of an Australian flag, strung to verandah posts and hanging upside down. - click to view larger image — Hebel State School photograph, 1920

White mug with gold rim showing a kangaroo in a garland of leaves. 'Australia A Nation' is printed at the top, between the Union Jack and Australian flags which hang at either side of the illustration. 'May 1927, To commemorate the opening of the federal parliament house, Canberra' is printed at the bottom of the cup. - click to view larger image — Souvenir cup commemorating the opening of Federal Parliament in Canberra, 1927

A colour poster on a yellow background, with illustrated portraits of a man dressed in navy uniform on the left and a woman on the right. The portraits are surrounded by flowers including yellow wattle and red waratahs. A map of Australia features a naval ship, and illustrations of a kangaroo and emu appear either side of the English and Australian coats of arms. A boomerang with the words 'Come Back' sits above the map. The Union Jack and Australian flags are shown at the top of the poster above the text 'Souvenir of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Australasia 1927'. The bottom portion of the poster includes a verse attributed to 'Pam', along with illustrations of a lyre bird and kookaburra. - click to view larger image — Souvenir poster of the Duke and Duchess of York's Australasia tour, 1927

A woman dressed in a sleeveless fitted evening gown, which trails to the floor, wears a headdress of stars. An Australian flag is attached to her left arm, which is extended in the direction of a young man. He wears a soldier's uniform and has his right arm raised in a salute. - click to view larger image — Young man and woman from a dramatic society photograph, 1930–40

A coloured picture featuring a young woman with an Australian flag in the background. The woman wears working attire and has her left fist clenched. The text reads 'Change over to a VICTORY JOB. APPLY TO YOUR NEAREST NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICE'. - click to view larger image — 'Change over to a victory job' poster, 1943

A black and white photograph of an Australian fighter squadron gathered around a raised Australian flag. The men are atop a mound and looking off the left of the photo. - click to view larger image — Australian fighter squadron photograph, 1939–45

A black and white photograph showing five men standing behind a homemade Australian flag. The men are shirtless. - click to view larger image — Flag made by Australian ex-POWs from Saigon photograph, 1940s

Six men and two women hold the edge of an Australian flag which is spread out across the far end of a table. - click to view larger image — Australian citizenship ceremony photograph, 1953

A black and white photograph of Australian soldiers in Saigon, Vietnam. They are standing at attention around a metal trunk which has an Australian flag draped over its top. - click to view larger image — Saigon, Vietnam photograph, 1965

Black and white photograph of a young soldier in uniform. He is crouching down with his arms around two small children, one of whom is balanced on his left knee. He is surrounded by three other small children, one of whom is holding a miniature Australian flag. - click to view larger image — Returning from Vietnam photograph, 1968

A dark green flag with a caricature of a yellow kangaroo wearing red boxing gloves. - click to view larger image — Boxing kangaroo flag

A mural in three panels, made up of hundreds of postage stamps, depicting a flag-raising ceremony by English military men. Aboriginal men stand watching, to the left of the mural. Two of the soldiers hold raised glasses to the Union Jack. A sailing ship is moored off the coast and green hills appear in the background. - click to view larger image — Sydney Cove postage stamp mural, 1980s

A mural in three parts, made of hundreds of postage stamps. It shows a contemporary Sydney Harbour scene, with the Opera House, Centrepoint Tower and the Harbour Bridge dominating the city skyline. The harbour appears in the foreground, with several yachts, ships and a ferry. A military flag-raising ceremony is pictured in the left foreground and a Qantas plane dominates the sky. - click to view larger image — Sydney postage stamp mural, 1980s

A coloured photograph of a plate which with the Australian coat of arms, state heraldry and floral emblems around its border. At the centre of the plate there are portraits of King George III and Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by Australian flowers, the Union Jack and Australian flag. Some of the words from the national anthem are printed around the plate: 'Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free, we've golden soil and wealth for toil, our home is girt by sea, our land abounds in nature's gifts of beauty rich and rare ...' - click to view larger image — 'Australians all let us rejoice' commemorative plate, about 1988

Black and white photograph of Cathy Freeman on a running track. Freeman is smiling and holding an Australian flag over her shoulders. Another flag is partially visible at the rear. A television camera operator stands to her left. - click to view larger image — Cathy Freeman at the Commonwealth Games photograph, 1994

Poster with an image of the Australian flag against a blue cloudy sky background. The text reads: 'When Republicans see this ... They think of England. We think of Australia. Join the NO REPUBLIC Campaign Team today. Freecall 1800 622 229. NO REPUBLIC'. - click to view larger image — Political poster, 1999

A colour photograph of the Australian flag hanging above a three-seater lounge chair. Marble-look panels and ornate columns can be seen either side of the flag. A small printed sign'Australia House, Baghdad', sits above the flag. - click to view larger image — Australian flag in Baghdad, about 2003

Colour photograph of two Indigenous men holding the Australian flag over a fire while spectators look on. The man on the left has his right arm raised with closed fist. - click to view larger image — Flag burning for 'Invasion Day' photograph, 2006

A colour photograph of two young blonde-haired girls walking along the Perth foreshore on Australia Day in 2007. The girls are wearing sunglasses, thongs, sleeveless tops, and have Australian flags draped around their hips. Australian flag tattoos are visible on their torsos and one wears an Australian flag drink cooler on her wrist. - click to view larger image — Two girls on Australia Day photograph, 2007

A colour photograph of a ceremony at the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli. The Memorial is in the background and an Australian flag at half mast flies in the foreground. - click to view larger image — Lone Pine memorial photograph, 2007

A colour photograph of a large crowd. Many people are wearing green and gold beanies on their head and several have an Australian flag draped around their shoulders. - click to view larger image — Gallipoli crowd photograph, 2007

A portrait of Pauline Hanson hand-washing an Australian flag on a washboard in a metal tub. Hanson is pictured outside with a corrugated iron building on her left and a Hills hoist-style washing line on her right. Several Australian flags have been hung over the line to dry and another is pictured going through an old-fashioned wringer. - click to view larger image — Pauline Hanson photographic portrait, 2007

A colour photograph of a pair of blue rubber thongs which feature part of the Australian flag on the upper sole. A bar code tag attached to the thongs reads 'SLIPPER. MADE IN CHINA'. - click to view larger image — Chinese Australian thongs, 2008

An invitation from The Honourable Kevin Rudd MP to Wendy Hermeston to attend a morning tea on Wednesday 13 February 2008 on the occasion of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. The card features images of the Australian coat of arms at the top and the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at the bottom. - click to view larger image — Invitation to attend the National Apology to the Stolen Generations, 2008

Pre-federation Australian flag from the Klondike goldfieldsA double sided, hand-painted flag depicting on both sides a kangaroo and an emu either side of a shield, set against a blue background. The shield is broken into four sections showing a sheep, a sailing ship, a sheaf of wheat and a pick and shovel. The stars of the Southern Cross separate the quadrants and a rising sun appears a...

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