Flags of Australia: national flag, ensigns, Aboriginal and state flags

Australia has more official flags than most countries. The Flags Act 1953 defines two of them, the Australian National Flag and the Australian Red Ensign, and allows the Governor-General to appoint further flags and ensigns of Australia by proclamation. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) describes them in part 3 of the booklet Australian Flags. This guide gives an overview; the meaning of the national flag is covered in the guide to the Australian flag.

The Australian National Flag

The national flag is the blue flag described in Schedule 1 of the Flags Act: the Union Jack in the upper quarter next to the staff, a large seven-pointed white Commonwealth Star below it, and the five white stars of the Southern Cross in the fly. Any person may fly it, on any day. According to PM&C, its colours are PANTONE 280 blue and PANTONE 185 red.

The Australian red ensign

The Australian Red Ensign has the same design on a red field. According to PM&C, it is the flag flown by Australian-registered merchant ships, as confirmed by the Shipping Registration Act 1981. Government ships, fishing vessels, pleasure craft and commercial vessels under 24 metres may fly either the national flag or the red ensign, but not both at once. Historically, the red ensign was also used on land. On Merchant Navy Day, 3 September, it may be flown on land for ceremonial purposes.

The Australian Aboriginal Flag

The Australian Aboriginal Flag was designed by Harold Thomas and first raised on 9 July 1971 at Victoria Square in Adelaide. It was proclaimed a flag of Australia under the Flags Act on 14 July 1995. The top half is black, for the Aboriginal peoples; the bottom half is red, for the earth and ochre; and the yellow circle in the centre is the sun. Since 25 January 2022, the Commonwealth owns the copyright. According to PM&C, Carroll & Richardson-Flagworld is the exclusive licensed manufacturer of the flag on flags, pennants, banners and bunting, and the public may reproduce the design freely on all other media.

The Torres Strait Islander Flag

The Torres Strait Islander Flag was adopted in May 1992 at the Torres Strait Islands Cultural Festival and is attributed to the late Bernard Namok of Thursday Island. It was proclaimed on the same day as the Aboriginal flag in 1995. Green panels stand for the land, blue for the sea and black lines for the people; in the centre is a white Dhari, a traditional headdress, over a five-pointed star for the island groups. The Torres Strait Island Regional Council holds the copyright, and according to PM&C no permission is needed to fly the flag.

Defence ensigns

The Army has no ensign of its own; it has the ceremonial role of protector of the Australian National Flag. According to PM&C, permission is required to fly or use a Defence ensign.

Other government flags

PM&C lists further flags: the Centenary Flag, the national flag with a white headband and crimson stripe, proclaimed in 2001 and flown on ceremonial occasions; the civil air ensign of civil aviation; and the flags of the Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police. The King has a personal flag for Australia, approved in 2024, and the Governor-General and each state governor have their own flags.

State and territory flags

The six state flags are blue ensigns with the Union Jack and a state badge, created between 1870 and 1904:

Norfolk Island is the only external territory with its own official flag. Other flags seen in Australia include the United Nations flag, flown on 24 October, and historical flags such as the Eureka flag, described in the guide to flagpole history. Sizes are covered in the guide to flag sizes.