The Australian National Flag

The Australian National Flag is blue with the Union Jack in the upper left corner (the canton), the Commonwealth Star (also called the Federation Star) below the Union Jack, and the Southern Cross constellation on the right side.

Union Jack: Reflects Australia's historical ties with Britain
Commonwealth Star (7 points): Six points represent the six states, and the seventh point represents the territories and the federal government
Southern Cross (5 stars): Represents Australia's geographical position in the Southern Hemisphere
The colours are blue, white, and red

The flag was first flown in 1901 and officially adopted in 1953 (Flags Act 1953).

Other Official Flags

Australian Aboriginal Flag: Black (top half), red (bottom half), and a yellow circle in the centre. Black represents the Aboriginal people, red represents the earth and their spiritual connection to the land, and the yellow circle represents the sun.
Torres Strait Islander Flag: Green (top and bottom), blue (centre), with white lines and a white dhari (headdress) and a five-pointed star. Green represents the land, blue represents the sea, white represents peace.

The National Anthem

Australia's national anthem is Advance Australia Fair. It was officially adopted in 1984, replacing God Save the Queen (now God Save the King, which remains the royal anthem).

The first line of the anthem is: "Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free."

The anthem is sung at official ceremonies, sporting events, and citizenship ceremonies.

The Commonwealth Coat of Arms

The Australian Coat of Arms (officially called the Commonwealth Coat of Arms) features:

A kangaroo and an emu holding up a shield — these animals were chosen because they cannot easily walk backwards, symbolising a nation moving forward
The shield contains the badges of the six Australian states
A gold Commonwealth Star sits above the shield
The background features a wreath of golden wattle
The motto is not officially part of the arms but "Advance Australia" is commonly associated

National Colours

Australia's national colours are green and gold. They are the colours of the golden wattle and are worn by Australian athletes at international sporting events.

National Floral Emblem

Australia's national floral emblem is the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha). It flowers in late winter and spring (August to October) with bright golden-yellow blossoms. Wattle Day is celebrated on 1 September each year.

National Gemstone

Australia's national gemstone is the opal. Australia produces approximately 95% of the world's opals, making it especially significant to the nation.

National Colours of Australian Sport

Green and gold are the sporting colours of Australia. Australian teams at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and other international competitions wear green and gold.

Key Symbol Facts for the Test

The flag has 3 elements: Union Jack, Commonwealth Star, Southern Cross
The Commonwealth Star has 7 points (6 states + 1 for territories and federal government)
The Southern Cross has 5 stars (4 large, 1 small)
The coat of arms features a kangaroo and an emu
National colours: green and gold
National floral emblem: golden wattle
National gemstone: opal
National anthem: Advance Australia Fair (adopted 1984)
The Aboriginal flag: black, yellow, red
The Torres Strait Islander flag: green, blue, white