The Under the Southern Cross (By Justin R Smith) flag reflects all of Australia’s natural beauty. Australia’s official flora is represented in the colours green and gold. The Golden Wattle, which is Australia’s National flower. Australia’s official fauna is represented by a Kangaroo. The Kangaroo is white to symbolise peace.The Southern Cross constellation represents Australia’s position on Earth as being in the Southern Hemisphere. Each star has 8 points instead of 7 except for the centre star (Epsilon Crucis) which has 5 points. The 8-pointed stars represent the unity of the states and territories. The reason behind the extra point is that in 2018 the Northern Territory is expected to hold a referendum granting them statehood. Should this go ahead Australia will have 7 states. The other point is for the ACT like on the current Australian Flag. There is no single Commonwealth/ Federation star, instead it could be said that there are four. Regardless of the results in the NT there are many modern and past Australian Flags that have contained an 8-pointed Southern Cross stars including, The Eureka Stockade flag (1854), The National Colonial Flag (1881), NSW Ensign/ Australian Ensign (1832), Herald Federal Flag, the first flag of Australia from 1901–1903, the first Official National Australian Flag and also modern ones like the New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory flags.
Own work, from Wikimedia Commons picture of the flag.
Germenfer