Module 1 – Lesson 7- Australia’s Flags

The official flag of Australia is the nation’s national flag. Each state and territory has its own flag, and there are other flags representing Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. A handful of additional flags have official recognition and may be flown from public buildings and during events.

The Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom, is shown at top left on the mostly blue Australian national flag to honour Australia’s ties to British culture, laws, and customs. The Commonwealth Star, which has seven points—one for each of the two territories and each state—is shown beneath the flag. One of the most well-known constellations that may be seen in the Australian sky, the Southern Cross, is visible to the right of the flag.

The Australian Aborigines’ flag is black, red, and yellow. The upper black half depicts Aboriginal peoples, the lower red half depicts the earth, and the centre yellow circle depicts the sun.

The Torres Strait Islanders flag contains green stripes representing the land, a blue panel representing the sea, black lines representing the people, a white dancer’s headdress representing all Torres Strait Islanders, and a white star whose points represent the various island groups that comprise the Torres Strait Islanders and whose white colour represents peace.