Isolated Traveller Flags Oceania

AU AUS

A national flag · vexillological catalog

Flag of Australia.

The flag of Australia is a defaced blue ensign featuring the Union Jack in the upper-hoist canton, the seven-pointed Commonwealth Star directly below the Union Jack, and the five stars of the Southern Cross in the fly. The design was selected from over 32,000 entries to a 1901 federal design competition organised shortly after the federation of the six Australian colonies into the Commonwealth of Australia. Five entrants — including 14-year-old Ivor Evans — submitted nearly identical designs and shared the prize money. The flag combines clear references to Australia's British heritage (the Union Jack), its federal structure (the Commonwealth Star, with one point for each original state and territory plus an extra point added in 1908 for Australian territories), and its location in the southern hemisphere (the Southern Cross — the most prominent constellation in southern skies, which has been a symbol of Australian identity since the 1854 Eureka Rebellion). The flag was used unofficially from 1901 and was given full legal status by the Flags Act 1953.

Proportion

1:2

Adopted

1908

Designer

Five winning entrants of a 1901 design competition: Ivor Evans, Leslie Hawkins, Egbert Nuttall, Annie Dorrington, and William Stevens

Australia

01 · Symbolism

The Union Jack reflects historic British ties; the Commonwealth Star has seven points (one per state plus territories); the Southern Cross constellation is visible only from the southern hemisphere.

02 · Colour meanings

What each colour represents.

A breakdown of the symbolism behind each colour on the flag of Australia.

Blue

#012169

The blue of the British naval ensign tradition. Also represents the southern oceans and the southern night sky against which the constellations appear.

White

#FFFFFF

The colour of the Commonwealth Star and the stars of the Southern Cross. White also appears in the Union Jack as part of the Crosses of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick.

Red

#C8102E

Drawn from the Cross of St George (England) and the saltire of St Patrick (Ireland) — both visible in the Union Jack.

03 · Design & elements

How the flag is put together.

A blue ensign with the Union Jack in the upper-hoist quadrant, a large seven-pointed white Commonwealth Star directly below it, and the five stars of the Southern Cross constellation in the fly half. Proportion 1:2.

Union Jack: Represents Australia's historical ties to the United Kingdom — Australia was a British colony from 1788 and became a self-governing federation within the British Empire in 1901, retaining the British monarch as head of state.
Commonwealth Star: A seven-pointed white star directly below the Union Jack. Six points represent the six original federating states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania), and a seventh point — added in 1908 — represents the territories of Australia.
Southern Cross: The five-star constellation visible from the southern hemisphere. Symbol of Australia's geographic identity and has been a unifying icon since the 1854 Eureka Stockade rebellion. Only the four largest stars have seven points; the smallest, Epsilon Crucis, has only five points to reflect its lesser brightness.

04 · Fun facts

Things to remember.

01
The flag was the result of a 1901 design competition with over 32,000 entries — at the time, an entry from one in every 28 Australians.
02
Five entrants submitted nearly identical winning designs, including a 14-year-old schoolboy named Ivor Evans. They shared the prize money of £200.
03
The Commonwealth Star originally had six points (one for each federating state). A seventh point was added in 1908 to represent the territories of Australia.
04
The four largest stars of the Southern Cross on the flag have seven points each — but the fifth and smallest, Epsilon Crucis, has only five points, reflecting its lesser brightness in the actual constellation.
05
Australia's flag was used unofficially from 1901 and only given full legal status as the official national flag by the Flags Act 1953 — over 50 years after federation.
06
There has been periodic public debate over whether Australia should adopt a new flag without the Union Jack, particularly tied to the question of whether Australia should become a republic.

05 · History

How it came to be.

After the federation of the Australian colonies on 1 January 1901, the new Commonwealth government held an open design competition for a national flag. Over 32,000 entries were submitted; five nearly identical designs by Ivor Evans, Leslie Hawkins, Egbert Nuttall, Annie Dorrington and William Stevens were declared joint winners. The design was approved by King Edward VII in 1903 and was used as Australia's flag, alongside the Red Ensign for civilian use, throughout the early 20th century. The seventh point was added to the Commonwealth Star in 1908. The blue ensign was confirmed as Australia's sole national flag by the Flags Act 1953.

03 · About

On the design.

The Australian flag features the Union Jack in the canton, a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, and the five stars of the Southern Cross constellation.

The design

The Flag of Australia is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 1:2, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses Blue, Red, White, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.

Colour palette

Colour	Name	Common symbolism
Blue	Blue	Frequently symbolises sky, sea, freedom, vigilance or perseverance.
Red	Red	Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation.
White	White	Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes.
Source	Official flag law	The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions.

Symbolism & heraldry

The Union Jack reflects historic British ties; the Commonwealth Star has seven points (one per state plus territories); the Southern Cross constellation is visible only from the southern hemisphere.

Heraldic elements on the Flag of Australia — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.

Adoption & history

The current flag was adopted in 1908. Earlier banners flown by Australia reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.

Etiquette & protocol

The Flag of Australia should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.

Specifications

Field	Value	Note
Country	Australia	—
Continent	Oceania	—
ISO alpha-2	AU	2-letter code
ISO alpha-3	AUS	3-letter code
Adopted	1908	year of current design
Proportion	1:2	height : length
Colours	Blue, Red, White	—
Designer		—
Emoji	🇦🇺	Unicode codepoint sequence

Did you know?

The Commonwealth Star originally had six points; a seventh was added in 1908 to represent Australia's territories.

Frequently asked questions

What do the stars on the Australian flag represent?

The flag has two distinct sets of stars. The large seven-pointed star directly below the Union Jack — the Commonwealth Star — represents Australia's six original federating states (one point each) plus its territories (the seventh point, added in 1908). The five smaller stars in the fly are the constellation of the Southern Cross, the most prominent constellation in southern skies and a symbol of Australian identity since the 1850s.

Why does the Australian flag have the Union Jack?

Australia was a British colony from 1788 and became a self-governing federation within the British Empire in 1901. It retained the British monarch as head of state and continues to do so today as a constitutional monarchy. The Union Jack in the canton reflects this heritage and Australia's status as a Commonwealth realm. There has been periodic debate about removing it, particularly in connection with proposals for an Australian republic.

When was the Australian flag adopted?

The flag was selected through a 1901 federal design competition, approved by King Edward VII in 1903 and modified in 1908 with the seventh point added to the Commonwealth Star. It was confirmed as Australia's official national flag by the Flags Act 1953.

Who designed the Australian flag?

Five winning entrants in the 1901 design competition produced nearly identical designs and shared the £200 prize: Ivor Evans (a 14-year-old schoolboy from Melbourne), Leslie Hawkins (an apprentice optician), Egbert Nuttall (an architect), Annie Dorrington (an artist), and William Stevens (a ship's officer). Their combined design was selected from over 32,000 entries.

What is the difference between the Australian flag and the New Zealand flag?

Both are blue ensigns with the Union Jack in the canton, but Australia's flag has six stars (one Commonwealth Star plus five Southern Cross stars), while New Zealand's has only four stars (just the Southern Cross). Australia's stars are white; New Zealand's are red with white outlines. Australia's Southern Cross stars also have seven points each (except the smallest); New Zealand's have five points.

Which country does the Flag of Australia represent?

The Flag of Australia is the national flag of Australia.

When was the Flag of Australia adopted?

The Flag of Australia was adopted in 1908 — about a century old.

What is the proportion of the Flag of Australia?

The Flag of Australia has an official proportion (height-to-width ratio) of 1:2.

Who designed the Flag of Australia?

The Flag of Australia was designed by Five winning entrants of a 1901 design competition: Ivor Evans, Leslie Hawkins, Egbert Nuttall, Annie Dorrington, and William Stevens.

04 · Country at a glance

Australia — in brief.

Quick reference data on Australia, the country this flag represents.

Capital: Canberra
Continent: Oceania
Sub-region: Australia and New Zealand
Population: 26M
Area: 7,692,024 km²
Languages: English
Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)
Government: Federal constitutional monarchy
Flag age: about a century old

Dispatch 12 · MAY · 26

A small thing, worth noting.

The Commonwealth Star originally had six points; a seventh was added in 1908 to represent Australia's territories.

— filed from the catalog

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