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Australian flags
 
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Australia's national ensign:
Australia's national ensing
Australia's national ensign got its shown design in the "Flags Act" in 1953, although it has existed since 1903. The flag shows the British Union Jack in the upper left and six white stars on a blue background. The big star on the left represents the Commonwealth of Australia, six of its points stand for Australia's states New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. The seventh point represents the two territories Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory with the capital city Canberra. The five stars on the right are the Crux (Australis) constellation (engl. Southern Cross). This constellation was already important for ship navigation in ancient times when it could be seen from the Mediterranean Sea. But due to the earth's precession the constellation moved southwards so that it played an important roll for seafarers discovering the Australian continent. The Southern Cross consists of four bright stars of the Centaurus constellation named alpha, beta, gamma and delta Crucis. The fifth star epsilon Crucis is less bright and has five points. You find the Southern Cross as well on the flags of New Zealand (without epsilon Crucis), Papua Newguinea and Brasil.
flags of the six states:
state: New South Wales New South Wales
state: Queensland Queensland
state: South Australia South Australia
state: Tasmania Tasmania
state: Victoria Victoria
state: Western Australia Western Australia
flags of the territories and associated islands:
territory: Australian Capital Territory Australian Capital Territory
territory: Northern Territory Northern Territory
island: Norfolk Island Norfolk Island
island: Torres Strait Island Torres Strait Island
other Australian flags:
Aborigines Aborigines: The flag was designed by the aboriginal Harold Thoms, and was hoisted up for the first time in 1971. Black stands for the people, red for the land and the yellow disk represents the sun.
Red Ensign Red Ensign: The Red Ensign is the official flag that registered merchant ships should fly. Government ships, fishing boats, pleasure boats and other crafts can fly either the Australian National flag or the Australian Red ensign but not both together.
Naval Ensign Naval Ensign: official flag of the Australian Navy
Royal Australian Air Force-flag official flag of the Royal Australian Air Force
Eureka Eureka flag: It was used for the first time during the uprising of gold miners in Ballarat/VIC in 1854. Since then it is has been used as a symbol of rebellion against authority by political extremes of both directions.