Australia and New Zealand
Australia
A blue ensign with the Union Jack in the canton, a large white seven-pointed Commonwealth Star below it, and the white Southern Cross constellation on the fly. The design stems from a 1901 competition, but its current legal status dates from the Flags Act 1953, effective in 1954.
Adopted
1954
Proportion
1:2
Colours
3
Colours & their meaning
Blue
No official symbolism is assigned to the field colour.
White
No official symbolism is assigned to the stars.
Red
Used in the Union Jack; no separate official symbolism is assigned on the Australian flag.
Symbols & emblems
Union Jack
Reflects Australia’s historical links with the United Kingdom.
Commonwealth Star
Its seven points represent the six states and the territories collectively.
Southern Cross
Represents the prominent constellation visible in the southern hemisphere.
Did you know?
The largest star originally had six points; a seventh was added in 1908 to represent the territories.