1770

The Union Jack was first raised in Australia on 29 April 1770 by Captain Cook at Stingray Harbour (later renamed Botany Bay).

1788

Governor Phillip hoisted this flag again on 26 January 1788 at Sydney Cove, marking the first European settlement of Australia.

1788

From early settlement, the citizens of Australia’s colonies flew the flags of the United Kingdom, including (from 1801) the current Union Jack.

1830s

The black swan used as the emblem of Western Australia, although there is no record of any early official confirmation.

1850s

The Southern Cross appeared on numerous unofficial flags in Australia.

1854

Gold miners rallied around the Southern Cross design on the Eureka flag, burned down the Eureka Hotel at Ballarat and set up a stockade in protest at colonial taxes - 30 miners and 6 Government troops killed.

1854

Following unofficial use of the black swan design in Western Australia, the black swan was chosen for the first Western Australian postage stamps.

1865

The Admiralty in London, and Britain’s Secretary of State for the Colonies, advised Australian Governors that colonial vessels of war should fly a flag having their colonial badges on Britain’s blue ensign.

1865

Victoria developed its own colonial flag.

1870

The black swan appeared on the British blue ensign, in the first version of the Western Australian colonial flag.

1870

Victoria’s Governor proclaimed that the colony’s badge design would show the Southern Cross with 5 white stars. The Argus newspaper reported that a flag displaying the badge was flown five days later by Victoria’s first colonial warship, HMVS Nelson.

1875

Queensland’s Governor rejected an early colonial badge design featuring Queen Victoria’s head. He recommended the Maltese cross and a Crown.

1875

Use of the black swan on Western Australia’s badge officially confirmed by the colonial Governor.

1876

Queen Victoria proclaimed that the distinguishing flag or ensign of Tasmania should be a blue ensign with a lion passant and on a white shield in the fly.

1876

Royal Crown on a Maltese cross approved by the Admiralty in London as Queensland’s badge - incorporated on the British blue ensign as the flag for Queensland Government vessels.

1876

First use of the badge of New South Wales, based on the red cross of St George on the New South Wales state flag.

1877

A Royal Crown added to the Victorian badge, to top the Southern Cross.

1890s

Australia’s international sport teams used the (so far unofficial) national colours of green and gold.

1893

Queensland’s Coat of Arms, the oldest in Australia, granted to the colony by Queen Victoria.

1901

A world-wide competition to find a new Australian flag announced by the Government when the 6 colonies united as the Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth blue ensign (later to become the Australian National Flag), was developed from the winning entries. The same flag design, on a red background, was called the Commonwealth red ensign, and used on Australia’s merchant ships.

1901

The design for the first Great Seal of Australia was chosen by the Government in another competition.

1904

The South Australian flag was proclaimed.

1906

The New South Wales Coat of Arms was granted by King Edward VII.

1908

Australia’s first National Coat of Arms granted by King Edward VII. This showed the kangaroo and the emu supporting the shield and standing on a grassy mound.

1908

A seventh point added to Commonwealth Star on the Commonwealth blue ensign.

1910

Victoria granted a Coat of Arms by Royal Warrant.

1912

Australia’s second grant of Arms made by King George V. This changed the original National Coat of Arms to include the symbols of the states on the badge - and the Commonwealth Star is shown with 7 points. Six of the 7 points symbolise the Australian states and the seventh its territories.

1912

Then Prime Minister Andrew Fisher suggests golden wattle surround the new Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

1917

King George V granted Tasmania its Coat of Arms. It was proclaimed in 1919.

1928

Coat of Arms granted to the city of Canberra by Royal Warrant.

1953

The Australian National Flag officially declared to be the Commonwealth blue ensign, ending some public confusion.

1958

Victoria adopted the common pink heath as the state floral emblem, adding it to the state Coat of Arms.

1959

Queenslanders voted the Cooktown orchid their favourite flower in a Government poll during the state’s centenary year. Soon after, it was proclaimed Queensland’s floral emblem.

1960

Western Australia proclaimed its floral emblem as the red and green kangaroo paw.

1961

Sturt’s desert pea adopted as South Australia’s floral emblem.

1961

Sturt’s desert rose proclaimed as the floral emblem of the Northern Territory.

1962

The waratah officially proclaimed as New South Wale’s floral emblem.

1962

Tasmania proclaimed the blue gum its floral emblem.

1964

The Northern Territory adopts the official colours of red ochre, black and white.

1969

Western Australia Coat of Arms granted by Queen Elizabeth II.

1970

The hairy-nosed wombat adopted as the South Australian faunal emblem.

1971

The Australian Aboriginal Flag was first raised on 9 July 1971, National Aborigines’ Day, at Victoria Square in Adelaide.

1971

The laughing kookaburra proclaimed the bird emblem of New South Wales.

1971

Leadbeater’s possum proclaimed as one of Victoria’s faunal emblems.

1971

The platypus proclaimed the faunal emblem for New South Wales.

1971

The koala proclaimed as Queensland’s faunal emblem.

1971

The helmeted honeyeater proclaimed Victoria’s bird emblem.

1973

Western Australia proclaimed the black swan its state bird emblem.

1973

The current version of the Great Seal (which shows the National Coat of Arms) granted to Australia in a Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth II.

1973

The numbat declared Western Australia’s animal emblem.

1973

Victoria changed the design of the Royal Crown on its arms from the Imperial Crown to St Edwards Crown.

1974

Sturt’s desert rose adopted as the floral emblem of the Northern Territory.

1975

Tasmania’s state flag proclaimed.

1975

Blue and gold chosen for the ribbon colours for the Order of Australia.

1975

The Northern Territory proclaimed the wedge-tailed eagle and the red kangaroo its faunal emblems.

1977

Some 3 million Australians voted for “Advance Australia Fair”, which won against 3 other tunes in a referendum to find the national anthem. “Waltzing Matilda” came second with 1.9 million votes, followed by “God Save the Queen” with 1.3 million votes and “Song of Australia” with 700,000 votes.

1977

The brolga featured on Queensland’s Coat of Arms.

1978

The flag of the Northern Territory is proclaimed on 1 July 1978.

1978

The Northern Territory Coat of Arms granted by Queen Elizabeth II.

1980

A flag proclaimed for Norfolk Island.

1980

Queen Elizabeth II granted the Norfolk Island Coat of Arms.

1982

Red, blue and gold proclaimed as South Australia’s official colours.

1982

Royal bluebell announced as floral emblem for the Australian Capital Territory.

1984

South Australia’s Coat of Arms proclaimed which replaced an earlier Coat of Arms conferred by King Edward VIII in 1936.

1984

The Governor-General proclaimed green and gold as Australia’s national colours.

1984

“Advance Australia Fair” with slightly amended words officially proclaimed the Australian National Anthem.

1985

Opal adopted as South Australia’s gemstone emblem (shared with Australia as the national gemstone emblem from 1993).

1985

Sapphire proclaimed Queensland’s gemstone emblem.

1986

The brolga proclaimed Queensland’s bird emblem.

1988

The golden wattle proclaimed as Australia’s floral emblem.

1992

National Wattle Day proclaimed.

1993

Australian Capital Territory flag adopted.

1993

Opal proclaimed Australia’s national gemstone.

1995

Western Australia’s fossil emblem, the gogo fish, was proclaimed.

1996

Australian National Flag Day (3 September each year) proclaimed.

1997

The gang-gang cockatoo adopted as the faunal emblem for the Australian Capital Territory.

1997

The royal bluebell formally endorsed as the Australian Capital Territory’s floral emblem.

1998

The eastern blue groper was proclaimed as the fish emblem of New South Wales.

1999

The Northern Territory proclaim the barramundi as its fish emblem.

2000

Crocoite proclaimed as the mineral emblem of Tasmania.

2002

Christmas Island flag formally declared on 26 January 2002.

2003

The Governor in Council proclaimed maroon as the official colour of Queensland.

2004

Cocos (Keeling) Islands flag formally declared on 6 April 2004.

2005

The Barrier Reef Anemone fish was officially named as Queensland’s aquatic emblem.

2008

The black opal was proclaimed as the gemstone emblem of New South Wales.

2012

Gold declared as Victoria’s mineral emblem.

2013

The whale shark proclaimed as the marine animal emblem of Western Australia.

2015

The Magdageria fairfaxi was proclaimed as the fossil emblem of New South Wales.

2015

The Tasmanian devil proclaimed as the animal emblem of Tasmania.

2018

Southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby adopted as the Australian Capital Territory’s mammal emblem.

2021

Lyrics of the Australian National Anthem changed from ‘For we are young and free’ to ‘For we are one and free’ on 1 January 2021.

2022

Copyright of the Australian Aboriginal Flag transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia on 25 January 2022.

2022

Koolasuchus cleelandi declared as Victoria’s fossil emblem.