Australian heraldry is the term for the style of armorial achievements, sometimes known as

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...

, and other

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...

bearings and insignia used in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It largely follows the Gallo-British tradition of heraldry also followed in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Heraldic authority

Australia does not presently have its own independent

heraldic authority A heraldic authority is defined as an office or institution which has been established by a reigning monarch or a government to deal with heraldry in the country concerned. It does not include private societies or enterprises which design and/or r ...

which grants or records arms, though the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

claims to be "the official heraldic authority for...Australia". Heraldic authority for Australia is officially vested in the Sovereign of Australia, who can delegate that authority to whosoever they choose. However, the

Australian government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...

has not confirmed that such a delegation to the College of Arms has been made. In response to questions submitted by the Australian Heraldry Society, on 7 February 2018

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Malcolm Turnbull Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954) is an Australian former politician and businessman who served as the 29th prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. Turnbull grad ...

stated: Grants of heraldic arms to Australian residents or institutions may be made, depending on their eligibility, by the English College of Arms, Scottish

Court of the Lord Lyon The Court of the Lord Lyon (the Lyon Court) is a standing court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All A ...

Chief Herald of Ireland The Genealogical Office is an office of the Government of Ireland containing genealogical records. It includes the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland ( ga, Príomh Aralt na hÉireann), the authority in Ireland for heraldry. The Chief Herald ...

Chief Herald of Canada Chief Herald of Canada is the title held by the head of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. The Chief Herald of Canada directs the operations of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and makes the grants of arms. There are exceptions to this, such as certa ...

, State Herald of South Africa or the various authorities in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

or other places.

Coats of arms

The heraldry of Australia has added indigenous Australian animals to the existing heraldic

bestiary A bestiary (from ''bestiarum vocabulum'') is a compendium of beasts. Originating in the ancient world, bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals and even rocks. The natural history a ...

, along with

native plants In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equi ...

and occasionally traditional motifs of

Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Islands ...

and

Torres Strait Islanders Torres Strait Islanders () are the Indigenous Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal people of the rest of Australia, they are often grouped ...

National arms

File:Coat of Arms of Australia.svg, Coat of arms of Australia (1912–present) File:Shield of arms of Australia.svg, Coat of arms of Australia (1912–present), escutcheon only File:Coat of arms of Australia (1908–1912).svg, Coat of arms of Australia (1908–1912)

Arms of states and territories

File:Coat of Arms of New South Wales.svg,

Coat of arms of New South Wales A coat typically is an outer clothing, garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of Button (clothing), buttons, zippers, Velcro, ...

File:Coat of Arms of Victoria.svg,

Coat of Arms of Victoria A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, a ...

File:Coat of Arms of Queensland.svg,

Coat of arms of Queensland The coat of arms of Queensland is the oldest in Australia, and was first granted by Queen Victoria in 1893 through the simplest form of heraldic grants; with the shield of arms, motto, helmet, mantling and crest. Suggestions and submissions ...

File:Coat of arms of South Australia.svg,

Coat of arms of South Australia The coat of arms of South Australia is the official symbol of the state of South Australia. It was granted by Queen Elizabeth II on 19 April 1984. They replaced a coat of arms granted to the State in 1936 by King Edward VIII. The shield has the p ...

File:Coat of arms of Western Australia.svg,

Coat of arms of Western Australia The coat of arms of Western Australia is the official coat of arms of the Australian state of Western Australia. It was granted by a royal warrant of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia dated 17 March 1969. Description The shield has a silver (arg ...

File:Coat of arms of Tasmania.svg,

Coat of arms of Tasmania The coat of arms of Tasmania is the official symbol of the Australian state and island of Tasmania. It was officially granted by King George V in May 1917. The shield features significant examples of Tasmanian industry: a sheaf of wheat, hops, a ...

File:Coat of arms of the Northern Territory.svg,

Coat of arms of the Northern Territory The coat of arms of the Northern Territory is the official heraldic symbol representing the Australian territory. They were officially granted by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 11 September 1978. The arms, uniquely in Australia, inco ...

File:Coat of arms of Norfolk Island.svg, Coat of arms of Norfolk Island File:Unofficial Coat of Arms of Christmas Island.svg, Unofficial coat of arms of

Christmas Island Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. It is located in the Indian Ocean, around south of Java and Sumatra and around north-west of the ...

Civic arms

File:Sydney - COA.svg, Coat of arms of Sydney File:Coat of Arms of Melbourne.svg,

Coat of arms of Melbourne A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, a ...

File:CoA of Brisbane.svg, Coat of arms of Brisbane File:COA Adelaida.svg, Coat of arms of Adelaide File:Perth COA.gif, Coat of arms of Perth File:Coat of Arms of the City of Hobart.svg, Coat of arms of Hobart File:Coat of Arms of the Australian Capital Territory.svg,

Coat of arms of Canberra The coat of arms of the City of Canberra, also known as Armorial Bearings (Coat of Arms) of the City of Canberra, was granted to the Federal Capital Commission, its successors and the City of Canberra by King George V in 1928. It has been used b ...

, also used as the ''de facto'' coat of arms of the ACT File:Coat of arms of Darwin.svg, Coat of arms of Darwin File:Launceston Town Hall Coat of Arms.JPG, Coat of arms of

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copied ...

File:Wagga Wagga Coat of Arms.jpg, Coat of arms of

Wagga Wagga, New South Wales Wagga Wagga (; informally called Wagga) is a major regional city in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, with an urban population of more than 56,000 as of June 2018, Wagga Wagga is the state's la ...

Personal arms

File:Coat of Arms of Ninian Martin Stephen.svg, Coat of arms of former

governor-general Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

Sir Ninian Stephen Sir Ninian Martin Stephen (15 June 1923 – 29 October 2017) was an Australian judge who served as the 20th governor-general of Australia, in office from 1982 to 1989. He was previously a justice of the High Court of Australia from 1972 to 19 ...

File:Paul Hasluck Arms.svg, Coat of arms of former governor-general

Sir Paul Hasluck Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck, (1 April 1905 – 9 January 1993) was an Australian statesman who served as the 17th Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1969 to 1974. Prior to that, he was a Liberal Party politician, holding min ...

File:Coat of Arms of Richard Casey, Baron Casey, KG, GCMG, CH, DSO, MC, PC.png, Coat of arms of former governor-general Lord Richard Casey

Corporate/Institutional arms

File:Arms of Monash University.svg, Coat of arms of

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

File:Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Arms.svg, Coat of arms of

ANZ ANZ may refer to: People * Anz (musician), a British DJ and electronic musician Banks * ANZ (bank), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, the fourth-largest bank in Australia ** ANZ Bank New Zealand, the largest bank in New Zealand ** ...

File:Coat of arms of the Bank of New South Wales.svg, Coat of arms of the

Bank of New South Wales The Bank of New South Wales (BNSW), also known commonly as The Wales, was the first bank in Australia, being established in Sydney in 1817 and situated on Broadway, New South Wales, Broadway. During the 19th century, the bank opened branches ...

File:David Jones Limited Arms.svg, Coat of arms of

David Jones Limited David Jones Pty Limited, trading as David Jones (colloquially DJs), is an Australian High-End department store, owned since 2014 by South African retail group Woolworths Holdings Limited. David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh ...

File:CPA Australia Arms.svg, Coat of arms of

CPA Australia CPA Australia ("Certified Practising Accountant") is a professional accounting body in Australia founded in 1886. As of 31 December 2020, it has 168,736 members working in 150 countries and regions around the world. CPA Australia currently has 1 ...

Badges

File:Badge of the Governor-General of Australia.svg, Badge of the

Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia.Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

File:Badge of New South Wales.svg, Badge of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

File:Badge of Victoria (traditional).svg, Badge of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

File:Badge of Queensland.svg, Badge of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

File:Badge of South Australia.svg, Badge of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

File:Badge of South Australia (1876–1904).svg, Badge of South Australia (1876–1904) File:Badge of Western Australia.svg, Badge of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

File:Badge of Tasmania.svg, Badge of

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

File:Badge of the Northern Territory.svg, Badge of the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

Heraldry Society

The Australian Heraldry Society was founded in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

in 1992, originally as Heraldry Australia before changing its name in 2008. The society has its roots in the Australian branch of

The Heraldry Society The Heraldry Society is a British organization that is devoted to studying and promoting heraldry and related subjects. In 1947, a twenty-year-old John Brooke-Little founded the Society of Heraldic Antiquaries. This name was changed to The He ...

, which was established in Melbourne in 1973. The object of the society is “to promote the advancement of education in the science, art, history, practice and development of heraldry and allied subjects and the encouragement of their study and practice in Australia.” They produce a bi-monthly newsletter, called ''The Red Escutcheon'', and a triannual journal, called ''Heraldry in Australia''.

References

External links

The Australian Heraldry Society

The College of Arms

Australian heraldry
on

Heraldry of the World Heraldry of the World (HOTW or Heraldry-wiki.com; formerly NGW, for the original Dutch name Nederlandse GemeenteWapens (Dutch civic heraldry)) is an Internet-based heraldic resource. Its principal project is the Internet's largest website devote ...

{{Heraldry by country Australian heraldry Australian culture Heraldry by country