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Australia

Flag size calculator for Australian flagpoles

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Which size of flag suits a flagpole? No Australian law or authority gives an answer, so the calculator below uses the published guides of Australian flag makers: the rule of thumb that the flag’s length is one quarter to one third of the height of an in-ground flagpole, and a table of the standard sizes sold in Australia.

metres
Flag length by the rule of thumb
150–200 cm
One quarter to one third of the pole’s height
At one third, in the 1:2 proportions
200 × 100 cm
Length × height, the proportions of the Australian National Flag
Nearest standard size
1800 × 900 mm
Length × height, listed for a 6 m pole in an Australian flag maker’s table

How to read the results

  • Flag length by the rule of thumb: one quarter to one third of the pole’s height above ground. Evan Evans gives this range as a common guide; Flags Fantastic gives one third for in-ground poles.
  • At one third, in the 1:2 proportions: the flag at the upper end of the range, with the height half the length, as in the Australian National Flag. Sizes are given as length × height, as Australian flag makers list them.
  • Nearest standard size: the size listed for the nearest pole height in the size guide of the Australian flag maker Evan Evans, from 900 × 450 mm for a 3 metre pole to 3600 × 1800 mm for a 12 metre pole.

Examples

Pole heightRule of thumb (length)At one third, 1:2Nearest standard size
4.5 m115–150 cm150 × 75 cm1370 × 685 mm
6 m150–200 cm200 × 100 cm1800 × 900 mm
7.5 m190–250 cm250 × 125 cm2300 × 1150 mm
9 m225–300 cm300 × 150 cm2750 × 1380 mm

What the calculator does not cover

Blue tape measure with a centimetre scale
Tape measure. Photo: Clément Bucco-Lechat, Blue tape measure / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped
  • Manufacturer’s limits: many flagpoles are designed for a maximum flag size, which takes priority over any rule of thumb. More in the guide to flagpole safety.
  • Poles on buildings: according to Flags Fantastic, a flag on a short pole on a building may be larger than one third of the pole.
  • Exposure: according to Evan Evans, exposed and coastal sites can suit a smaller flag or a more durable material.
  • Several flags: flags of nations flown together are, if possible, the same size, and the Australian flag is not smaller than any other flag, according to PM&C.
  • Permits: in New South Wales, a flag on a flagpole that is exempt development has an area of no more than 2.5 square metres.
  • Half-mast: a large flag on a short pole sits lower at half-mast. More in the guide to half-mast.

All standard sizes are in the guide to flag sizes, and typical pole heights in the guide to flagpole heights.

Frequently asked questions

How does the flag size calculator work?

It uses the rule of thumb of Australian flag makers: the flag’s length is one quarter to one third of the height of an in-ground flagpole. It then shows the flag at one third in the 1:2 proportions of the Australian National Flag, and the nearest size in an Australian flag maker’s table of standard sizes.

Is the result an official requirement?

No. No Australian law or authority sets the size of a flag for a flagpole. The results are based on the published guides of Australian flag makers, and the only official size rules concern flags flown together, which are the same size or at least not larger than the Australian flag.

Why does the calculator show sizes in millimetres?

Australian flag makers list their standard sizes in millimetres, for example 1800 × 900 mm for the most common outdoor Australian flag. The rule of thumb is shown in centimetres.

Does the calculator work for a flagpole on a building?

The rule of thumb applies to in-ground flagpoles. According to the Australian flag maker Flags Fantastic, a flag on a short pole on a building may be larger than one third of the pole, in proportion to its height above the ground.

Sources

This guide is based on the following sources:

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