Australia Flag

How to identify it

A blue field with the Union Flag in the canton, a large white star below it, and the Southern Cross on the outer half. Count the points: the star under the canton has seven, and four of the five Southern Cross stars have seven while the small one has five.

Design and construction

Proportions

1:2

Adoption and legal status

Design chosen in 1901; the Commonwealth Star gained its seventh point in 1908 and the Flags Act was passed in 1953

Construction

The Flags Act 1953 schedule fixes the star positions, diameters and point counts.

Officially documented meaning

The Commonwealth Star represents the federation of the states and territories. The constellation is the Southern Cross, visible across Australia.

History of the design

A 1901 federal competition produced the design from several near-identical entries. The Commonwealth Star originally had six points for the six federating colonies; a seventh was added in 1908 to cover the territories.

Similar flags

Compare the details that separate these designs.

• 
  New Zealand

  New Zealand shows four red stars with white outlines and no large star under the canton; Australia shows six white stars in total.

• 
  Fiji

  Fiji uses a light blue field with a shield on the outer half; Australia uses dark blue with six white stars and no shield.

Comparison guides

• Australia vs New Zealand: two Union Jack ensigns

Sources