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The Symbols of Queensland

Flag

The Queensland flag has been flown since 1876. It has a blue background and shows the Union Jack in the upper left corner.

On the right side in a silver (white) circle, is a Royal Crown on a Maltese cross. No one knows why the Maltese cross was chosen as a symbol of Queensland. It may have been inspired by the similar design of the Victoria Cross, the award for gallantry bestowed by Queen Victoria in 1857 - two years before Queensland was established.

The colour reference is: Blue PANTONE® 280, Red PANTONE®185, Light Blue PANTONE® 298

Coat of Arms

The shield on the Queensland Coat of Arms symbolises the State's primary industries; a sheaf of wheat; the heads of a bull (meat) and ram (wool); and mining - shown by a pick and shovel and column of gold rising from a heap of quartz.

Above the shield, the State badge of the Royal Crown and Maltese Cross, is framed by two stalks of sugar cane.

In 1977, in her jubilee year, Queen Elizabeth II assigned supporters for the arms: the Brolga represents native-born Queenslanders, and a Red Deer to represent those people who come to Queensland from elsewhere. (In the 19th century, Queen Victoria had given Queensland some red deer from her royal herds.)

Underneath the shield is Queensland's motto Audax at Fidelis - "Bold but Faithful".

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Badge

The badge of Queensland is taken from the State flag.

The colour reference is Light Blue PANTONE® 298.

Use of the symbols of Queensland is governed by the Badge, Floral and other Emblems of Queensland Act 1959. Requests to use the State Coat of Arms should be made in writing to: The Director, Protocol Branch, Department of Premier and Cabinet, PO Box 185, Albert Street, Brisbane QLD 4002

Other Emblems of Queensland

The Koala became the faunal emblem of Queensland in 1971.

While people think the koala is shy, colonies thrive near built-up areas, providing there is enough bushland to provide a suitable habitat. The koala is fairly common throughout eastern areas of Queensland, south of Townsville.

As a marsupial, the koala carries its young in its pouch - which opens backwards, unlike other tree-dwelling marsupials. Young koalas cling to their mother's back until they are about a year old. Koalas live for about 20 years.

Most koala activity is at night when they actively forage for gum leaves. They rarely drink water, normally gaining sufficient moisture from dew and their diet of oily eucalypt leaves.

Once several million koala roamed Australia. Now only a few hundred thousand survive. Careful management practices help ensure they do not suffer from diseases and loss of their natural habitat.

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The Brolga has featured on Queensland's Coat of Arms since 1977 and has been the State's bird emblem since 1986.

Brolga stand more than a metre tall and their wingspan can measure two metres across. The adults are mainly light grey and have a long, thin neck, a bare head and a patch of striking red coloured skin on the lower part of the head below the eyes. Brolgas are Australia's only native crane and they can be found along Queensland's coast from Rockhampton to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Cooktown Orchid grows in trees and rocks in Queensland's far northern tropical rainforests.

Each plant flowers for up to six weeks in autumn and winter. Individual flowers grow to about four centimetres across and are usually purple with sprays of up to 20 flowers on each stem.

Queenslanders voted the Cooktown Orchid their favourite flower during their State's centenary in 1959. Soon after, it was proclaimed the Queensland floral emblem.

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The Sapphire has been mined in central Queensland since the 1870s and became the State's official gemstone in 1985.

The sapphire is a natural variety of corundum, or aluminium oxide and is second only to diamonds in hardness. A clear gem, the sapphire comes in many colours other than the traditional blue, including deep indigo, yellow or green.

 
 

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