The Australian flag is a national symbol representing Australian identity and pride. You can expect to see the flag a good few times during your holiday to Australia so here are a few fun facts for you to know:
In 1901 Australian Prime Minister, the RT Hon Sir Edmund Barton, announced an international competition to design a flag for the nation. Out of 30,000 entries, 5 near-identical designs were chosen and collated, creating the Australian flag. Amongst the winning entries was a young, Victorian school boy, who is said to have won around £40.00 for his design.
There are three elements to the Australian flag, of which are all displayed on a blue background and share equal importance. The first element is the Union Jack, which can be located in the top left corner of the flag. The Union Jack acknowledges the history of British Settlement. Below the Union Jack is the flag’s second element; the Commonwealth star. It has seven points of which six points represent the unity of six states, and the seventh point indicates the territories of the Commonwealth of Australia. The third element, the Southern Cross, is shown on the fly of the flag in white. This element represents the constellation of 5 stars which can only be seen from Australia’s southern hemisphere.
The Australia flag was first flown on September 3rd 1901 and this special day is commemorated and re-enacted, every year, for the country’s national Flag Day. The flag is currently flown over Australia’s federal states and parliaments, and is also paraded by the all defence forces. You can also expect to see the flag at sporting events, schools and often at Australian landmarks. Of course, there will be the opportunity to purchase an Australian flag as a memory of your holiday, in local stores. Make sure you pick one up!
