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Australia

Explanation of the flag
History of the flag
Official flags of Australia
Air Force Ensign
Naval Ensign
Civil Ensign

Flags of States and Territories:

Other Australian Flags:

Outside FOTW:

Eureka flag accompanied by an explanation of what the Eureka Uprising was all about.
Queen Elisabeth's Personal Standard in Australia
"Flags of Australia" that provides images, information and brief histories of all current Australian national, state, territory and indigenous flags.
Ausflag is a voluntary, apolitical, non-profit organisation seeking to promote high quality debate about Australia's national symbols.
Rockhampton (Queensland)

Explanation of the flag

The Australian flag is comprised of three parts.

The Union Jack (British flag) in the top left corner
The 'Star of Federation' in the bottom left corner, and
The Southern Cross, taking up the right half of the flag.

The Union Jack shows that the first Colonisation by Europeans was by Britain, although most of the people sent out here were Irish. In case you didn't know Australis started as a penal (jail) colony.
The Star of Federation is a seven pointed star. They came to the number 7, by giving each state (6 in all) a point on the star, and having one more point for Australia's territories (of which there are several). There are two mainland territories, and several overseas, including two in antarctica.
The Southern cross is a constellation that can be seen from all of Australias states, and territories.
Giuseppe Bottasini

History of the flag

A competetion was held to find the flag that would be adopted by the New nation of Australia late last century (Australia became a nation on Jan 1 1901). Thousands of submissions were received, but something very interresting occured. Six of the flags received (no two from areas close to one another) were virtually identical. Not only had the same design been received six times independently from different parts of the country, but it looked good too. The flags differed only in small details (the number of points on the various stars, the size of the Union Jack, etc). The committee looking at the flags eventually decided on a flag that was not exactly the same as any one of the six, but similar to all six. The prize money was shared between the six contestants. The flag was not actually adopted offically until 1952.
Rick Brockway

It was about then that the government decided to encourage private use of the blue flag. Until that time, the blue flag was only allowed to be used by the government, and people were allowed to use the red one (required at see, permitted but not encouraged on land).
Christopher Vance

Official flags of Australia

The Australian Government has announced it will give formal, legal recognition to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags as a "Flag of Australia" as from 14 July 1995. This recognition will be proclaimed by Governor-General Bill Hayden under S.5 of the Flags Act 1953. This means that Australia will now have five national flags given legal authority under the Flags Act:

National Flag (blue ensign)
Civil Ensign (red ensign)
Naval Ensign (white ensign)
Aboriginal Flag
Torres Strait Islander Flag

Somewhat predictably, this move has caused outrage amongst some conservative (anglophile, monarchist) politicians in the Opposition, who view it as a move to reduce the status of the national flag. What they don't realise is that the national flag or blue ensign already has competition from the red and white ensigns. It has already been devalued in status by having competing national flags used for different purposes. And both times it were conservative Governments which gave these particular flags legal status! Personally, I think this is a wonderful move. Both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags have earned a national respect and recognition through widespread use. They deserve legal recognition.
Brendan Jones, 1995-JUL-05

Air Force Ensign

Until 1948 the Australian Air Force Ensign was the Royal Air Force Ensign (i.e. ensign of the British Air Force). In 1948, a light blue duster with a roundel in the lower fly was adopted, with a gold southern cross on the fly. In 1982, the stars were changed to white, and a kangaroo was added to the roundel.
Brendan Jones, 1996-MAR-19

Naval Ensign

The 1967 Naval ensign was a white duster with blue Southern cross and Union Star. This replaced simple British St. George's cross with UJ in canton.
Brendan Jones, 1996-MAR-19

Civil Ensign

by Zeljko Heimer 1997-07-04, from "Flagmakers catalogue"