Australia (country): Difference between revisions
Content added Content deleted
m (clean up) |
|||
| Line 63: | Line 63: | ||
== The Australian flag == |
== The Australian flag == |
||
[[File: |
[[File:Flag_of_Australia.svg|thumb|It has the Southern Cross on it]] |
||
This is the Australian national flag -- first adopted in 1901, modified a few times after that, then finally made properly official in its present form in 1954. It is a defaced version of the United Kingdom's "blue ensign" flag (flown at sea by ships in public service), which looks the same but without the stars. The national flag of New Zealand, as well as all of Australia's state flags, are also based on the blue ensign.<ref>Originally, there were actually two versions of the Australian flag: the blue one we know today, and a version with a red background based on the UK's ''red'' ensign -- and, by law, Parliament House flew the blue version while ''everywhere'' else on land flew the red version. In 1954 the blue version was made the sole official flag because [[Red Scare|the colour red had gained certain unwelcome connotations]].</ref> |
This is the Australian national flag -- first adopted in 1901, modified a few times after that, then finally made properly official in its present form in 1954. It is a defaced version of the United Kingdom's "blue ensign" flag (flown at sea by ships in public service), which looks the same but without the stars. The national flag of New Zealand, as well as all of Australia's state flags, are also based on the blue ensign.<ref>Originally, there were actually two versions of the Australian flag: the blue one we know today, and a version with a red background based on the UK's ''red'' ensign -- and, by law, Parliament House flew the blue version while ''everywhere'' else on land flew the red version. In 1954 the blue version was made the sole official flag because [[Red Scare|the colour red had gained certain unwelcome connotations]].</ref> |
||