It’s funny, isn’t it, how a simple piece of cloth can carry so much weight? The Australian flag, that familiar blue ensign with its Union Jack and starry Southern Cross, is more than just a symbol; it’s a story woven into the nation’s very fabric. But have you ever stopped to wonder if there were other stories, other designs, that almost became our flag?
Back in 1900, with Australia on the cusp of federation, the need for a national identity, a visual representation of this new Commonwealth, became paramount. A Melbourne journal, the Review of Reviews for Australasia, kicked things off with a competition, offering a modest £50 prize. The brief was clear: incorporate the Union Jack, a nod to our heritage, and the Southern Cross, a distinctly Australian celestial marker.
Then, in 1901, the newly formed Commonwealth Government threw its hat into the ring, announcing its own flag competition. The two initiatives merged, and with a generous boost from the Havelock Tobacco Company, the prize money swelled to a rather substantial £200. The government competition, detailed in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, stipulated that the winning design would be submitted for imperial approval. Imagine the buzz, the anticipation!
And the response? Overwhelming. More than 32,000 entries poured in from every corner of the globe, from seasoned artists to schoolboys, even a state Governor (though his entry remained anonymous). People really got creative. While the Union Jack and Southern Cross were popular choices, native animals made a strong showing. We’re talking kangaroos leaping through constellations, scenes of marsupials playing cricket (with a winged ball, no less!), and even a six-tailed kangaroo representing the six states. Some designs were, shall we say, more whimsical than others – one even featured a kangaroo aiming a gun at the Southern Cross!
All these visions were gathered at the Exhibition Building in Melbourne, where the first Commonwealth Parliament had convened. For six days, judges meticulously reviewed each entry. They were looking for that perfect blend: the Union Jack, the Southern Cross, and a representation of the six states united. Beyond aesthetics, they considered historical relevance, heraldic conventions, originality, practicality, and, crucially, manufacturability and acceptance by the British Admiralty.
In the end, the judges found themselves with five designs that were remarkably similar. The £200 prize was shared among these five individuals: Annie Dorrington, a budding artist from Perth; 14-year-old Ivor Evans from Melbourne, whose father ran a flag-making business; Leslie Hawkins, a teenager from New South Wales; Egbert Nuttall from Victoria; and William Stevens, a First Officer with the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. It’s fascinating to think that the flag we know today emerged from this collective vision.
The winning design, a dark blue ensign featuring the Union Jack in the canton, a six-pointed star beneath it (representing the six states), and the five stars of the Southern Cross in the fly, was first unfurled on September 3, 1901. This date, coincidentally the day the winners were announced, is now officially recognised as Australian National Flag Day. Initially known as the Commonwealth blue ensign, it later became the Australian National Flag. A red version, the Commonwealth red ensign or merchant flag, existed too, identical but for its crimson background.
Over time, the flag evolved. In 1903, the Southern Cross stars were simplified, all becoming seven-pointed, except for the smallest. Then, in 1908, the six-pointed star representing the states gained an extra point, acknowledging the growing territories of the Commonwealth. It’s a subtle shift, but one that speaks to Australia’s expanding identity.
So, while we have our beloved national flag, it’s a wonderful reminder that its creation was a journey, a competition that sparked imagination and brought together diverse ideas. It’s a story of unity, aspiration, and a touch of that uniquely Australian creativity, proving that even a national symbol has its own rich, human history.
