Why This Flag?
American comedian Jerry Seinfeld joked, "I love your flag... Britain at night," during his visit to Australia in 2000. For many dinkum Australians, it was not a joke. Many people around the world think the Australian Flag is a version of the British Flag.
There were 4 essential criteria in designing this flag
- No other flag in the corner
- The 5 stars of Southern Cross had to feature, either in the form of the constellation Crux or in a symbolic cross of 5 stars as depicted in earlier flags
- Australia's national colours of Green and Gold had to be included
- All of Australia's people had to be acknowledged
The Details.
The official description of the the Australian Flag is: A Blue Ensign defaced with the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter and the five stars of the Southern Cross in the fly half.
Details matter.
The top left corner is called the Canton and is the prominent position of a flag. In the prominent position of the Australian flag, it has the flag of 4 countries: the United Kingdom, with that flag made up of English flag of St George, the Irish flag of St Patrick and the Scottish flag of St. Andrew.
And when we did get a flag to call our own, where is the symbol to represent Australia, the Southern Cross?
On the Fly. The inferior position.
Why does this symbolism not bother everyone?
Our current flag says loudly to all - Australia is subservient to the United Kingdom; England, Ireland and Scotland.
It's time for a new flag. Unfortunately, too many designs look like logos or are simply too difficult to draw or describe, or cannot be easily adapted.
The Southern Cross Flag
This Southern Cross flag is easily described:
Five white stars on a green and gold cross with a blue background.
The new Southern Cross flag would be recognizable to all Australian, even those from the past.
They would recognise the Blue from the British Blue Ensign, the would recognise the stars and the cross.
The would understand the Blue and Gold as Australia's Heraldic colours
They might initially be puzzled by the Green in the Green and Gold. A moment to explain that Green and Gold are based on the Golden Wattle and are the official sporting colours of Australia.
They would also quickly understand that the Green cross that is bounded by the Gold border represents the nation of Australia and the continent of Australia, surrounded by oceans and seas.
The Green to represent the land and the Gold to represent our magnificent golden beaches. It is safe to say that no other country has the sheer number of beautiful beaches that Australia has.
(And it's also safe to say there's few things more Aussie than a day at the beach. Just dont forget to slip, slop, & slap OK?)
And yes, it is well understood, that much of the Australian interior is red desert. But Australia's coastal reason are often lush and green, with tropical and temerate rain forests. But when the rain comes that 'Red Centre" erupts in green and colourful wild flowers, of gold, whites purples blues and pinks.
Most people would understand then why the Southern Cross flag represents Australia so well.
And Aussies would also would understand much of this is because many flags of the past were very similar.
These include:
In many respects, the Eureka Flag was ahead of it's time.
The primary and most obvious difference with the Eureka Flag, and the Southern Cross flag is the inclusion of the wider Green and Gold Crosses.
The second difference is that the Eureka flag stops at the centre of the stars, the Southern Cross flag, the cross extends past the stars and the gold border encircles the entire cross.
As well, the Meanings and Symbolism with the Southern Cross flag are probably quite different to the meanings and symbolism of the Eureka Flag.
In the Southern Cross flag, the Green and Gold crosses are made up of Australia's sporting colours. Blue and Gold are Australia's heraldic colours
The Green and Gold Crosses represent the land and golden beaches, that represent that Australian is nation andthe only country to occupy an entire continent.
The Green and Gold crosses are bordered by blue and that represents both the ocean surrounding the continent of Australia as well as the dusk and dawn sky where the Southern Cross Constellation rises and sets.
The Eureka Stars
There is no mention as to why the Eureka Flag has 8 pointed stars. It ispossible that it was simply easier to make or the earlier Federation Flag may have influenced the Eureka Flag. The stars made with 4 parallel lines in a cross formation and 90 degree wedge removed at the ends to make a star.
The Southern Cross Star
This Southern Cross flag has 5 stars with 8 points. The are made from 8 triangles with a height of 2 and a base of 2 and are the same size of the green cross.
The stars are all the same size. 6 points are from the original Federation Star in 1901, that acknowledges the 6 founding States. The 7th point acknowledges the Territorities and added 1904, when Territory of Papua became a territory of Australia.
The Eighth Points on This Southern Cross Flag represent the First Nations.
