| The
Symbols of Victoria
Flag
The
flag of Victoria has been flown since 1870. The current flag design
was proclaimed in 1877 when the Royal Crown was added above the
Southern Cross.
The white stars
on the Victorian Flag have differing sizes and numbers of points
(from eight to five), to signify the brilliance of each star in
the constellation of the Southern Cross.
Coat
of Arms
The
Victorian Coat of Arms features a shield of blue with the five stars
of the Southern Cross. Its supporters are two female figures (named
Peace and Prosperity - the State's motto).
Victoria's
floral emblem, common pink heath, grows from a grassy mound under
the Shield. Above the shield is a wreath of silver and blue, and
the torso of a kangaroo holding the Royal Crown.
Prosperity
holds a horn of plenty (cornucopia) to symbolise rich harvests and
she wears a circlet of golden cereal; Peace holds an olive branch
- the symbol of peace.
The colour
references are: Blue PANTONE® 541, Silver PANTONE® 877.
These are also the State Colours.
Unauthorised
use of the Coat of Arms is prohibited under the Unauthorised Documents
Act 1958. Permission to use must be made in writing to the Chief
of Protocol, Department of Premier and Cabinet, 1 Treasury Place,
Melbourne VICTORIA 3002.
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Badge
The badge of
Victoria is taken from the State flag.
The colour
reference for the shield is Blue PANTONE® 541.
Other
Emblems
The
Helmeted Honeyeater,
one of the rarest birds in Victoria, was chosen to be Victoria's
bird emblem in 1971. The honeyeater can only be found in southern
Victoria.
The body of
the Helmeted Honeyeater is olive grey, with the outer wing and tail
feathers turning greenish-yellow. Its underpants are yellow-green
with dark streaks. The sides of the head are glossy black with golden
ear tufts and a yellow throat. It is 20 centimetres long and female
birds lay two pink, spotted eggs in a cupped nest from spring to
summer.
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The
Leadbeater's Possum
became a faunal emblem of Victoria in 1971. Once feared to be extinct,
Leadbeater's Possums live in the great mountain ash forests of Victoria's
central highlands. They were rediscovered in 1961 and now range
over a large area.
These nimble
little possums, whose tails can be longer than their bodies, jump
from branch to branch, searching for insects on the leaves and under
the bark, and eating nectar, insect honey-dew, sap and gum. Unlike
other possums of their size, they do not have any gliding membrane
between their legs.
Covered in
soft grey-brown fur, these possums have beautifully marked faces
and large, black eyes.
The Leadbeater's
Possum is about 40 centimetres long from its nose to the end of
its furry, club-shaped tail.
The possum's
future depends on preservation of its natural habitat in the hardwood
forests. The Leadbeater's Possum is found in population pockets,
particularly where there are old growth trees with hollows to provide
sites for nesting.
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Common
Pink Heath
was adopted in 1958 as the floral emblem of the State of Victoria.
The Common
Pink Heath actually comes in scarlet, crimson, rose, pink and white
- the pink variety is Victoria's emblem.
The Common
Pink Heath is a great survivor. It copes with frosts and is found
mainly in southern Victoria's semi-shaded wet foothills, coastal
heathlands and in the scrub of the Little Desert. It can also be
found in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania.
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