The flag of the Governor-General of Australia is an official flag of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

and is flown continuously on buildings and other locations when the

Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia. The flag has existed as three versions, the original flag used between 1902 and 1909 being a

Union Flag The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...

defaced with a six pointed star, crowned, surrounded by ears of corn and a gold circlet. In 1909, following the addition of a seventh point to the

Commonwealth Star The Commonwealth Star (also known as the Federation Star, the Seven Point Star, or the Star of Federation) is a seven-pointed star symbolising the Federation of Australia which came into force on 1 January 1901. Six points of the Star represen ...

on the Australian Blue and Red Ensigns, the star was changed to a seven-pointed star. On 16 July 1936 the Governor-General adopted a new flag for official use in Australia. The flag has a 1:2 ratio, it has a

royal blue Royal blue is a deep and vivid shade of blue. It is said to have been created by clothiers in Rode, Somerset, a consortium of whom won a competition to make a dress for Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III. Brightness The '' Oxford E ...

background and in the centre of the flag there is a Royal Crest (a crowned lion standing on a

Tudor Crown The Tudor Crown, also known as Henry VIII's Crown, was the imperial crown, imperial and state crown of Kingdom of England, English monarchs from around the time of Henry VIII until it was destroyed during the English Civil War, Civil War in 16 ...

) and the words "COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA" in dark blue letters on a gold scroll below the Crest. A similar design is used in most other

Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations whose monarch and head of state is shared among the other realms. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonwealt ...

s. In 1953 the flag was modified again, replacing the

with

St Edward's Crown St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th cen ...

. The flag is otherwise identical to that introduced in 1936.

Usage

The flag is flown continuously wherever the Governor-General is in residence and is also used as a

car flag A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design emplo ...

Historical versions

References

;Bibliography *

External links

* {{Flags, Banners and Standards of Heads of State and Government

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 ...

Governors-General of Australia 1902 establishments in Australia Flags displaying animals

Usage

Historical versions

See also

References

External links