Iconic Images of Australia

The Eureka Flag

The Eureka flag was arguably Australia’s first patriotic symbol.

It was designed by a Canadian Digger Lieutenant Ross during the Eureka Uprising in Ballarat, Victoria, in 1854.

The flag's five stars represent the Southern Cross. The white cross joining the stars represents unity in defiance. The blue background represents the blue shirts worn by the diggers.

Ned Kelly's Helmet •In 1880, bushranger Ned Kelly led his gang into a shoot out clad in iron suits.

•His legs were shot out from beneath him, he was captured, tried and hung. Despite being a criminal, something about his iron suit resonated with the general population.

•Some have argued that it represented a hero, a victim, a man who armoured himself against Australia, faced it, conquered it, and lost. In a way, it represented an individual armouring himself against persecution, which naturally appealed to a population in which the elitist class were pure British citizens proud of their British culture.

The Australian FlagThe Australian Flag was

chosen after a competition in 1901. The competition guidelines stipulated that a Union Jack must be included.

Symbolically, the location in the top left-hand corner signals servitude to Britain. The Southern Cross was included to represent Australia.

The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star was located beneath the Union Jack to represent Australia's federal system.

The Wattle ( Green and Gold)Many of the colonists identified

with Australian flowers, much like the English identified with roses, the Scottish with thistles and the Irish with shamrocks.

The unique colours and design of the wattle became associated with Australia.

In 1912, it was included as decoration surrounding the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

In the 1920s, the green and gold colours of the wattle became associated with Australian sport.  

The Slouch Hat

Since its inception more than a century ago, the slouch hat has become one of the most distinctive and defining items of Australian clothing.

It is made with rabbit-fur or wool felt and has one side of the brim pinned to the side. The pinning may have made it easier to sling a rifle over the soldier.

In addition to the pinning, the slouch hat gained uniqueness via the addition of native bird feathers. Emu plumes were often added for decoration.

It distinguished Australian soldiers from other soldiers in British allied forces. This helped build a unique social identity of the Australian soldiers, which was good for morale.

Simpson and his Donkey

Simpson's image was seen to embody the ANZAC spirit of abandonment of everything except that which is important.

During the 24 days he spent at ANZAC cove, John Simpson operated as a sole unit with his beloved donkey/s and is credited with saving the lives of hundreds of men.

 Simpson would start his day as early as 6.30 a.m. and often continue until as late as 3.00 a.m. He made the one and a half mile trip, through sniper fire and shrapnel, 12-15 times a day.

Simpson was killed. He was recommended for the Victoria Cross, twice, and the Distinguished Conduct Medal but his larrikin behaviour did not endeared him to the authorities. He was never decorated for his

The Australian Cost Of ArmsAn oral tradition developed that the Kangaroo and Emu were included because they can’t walk backwards thus symbolising the Australian trait of looking to the future.

The Commonwealth Coat of Arms may have been inspired by the Bowman Flag designed in John and Honor Bowman of Richmond NSW in 1806. It contained a Kangaroo and Emu aside a shield containing an English Rose, a Scottish thistle and an Irish shamrock.

In 1886, an unofficial Coat of Arms was designed for the New Atlas Australia. A Kangaroo and Emu looked curiously at a shield depicting the Eureka Southern Cross and four aspects of Australian industry at that time; mining, wool, wheat and tall ships.

In 1912, King George V granted the current Coat of Arms but the symbols of industry were replaced with symbols of the six Australian colonies; a Magpie for South Australia, a Black Swan for Western Australia, a Maltese Cross and Crown for Queensland, a Lion for Tasmania, the Southern Cross for Victoria and the lion and stars representing New South Wales. Beneath the Arms are sprays of golden wattle, Australia's official national floral emblem.

Dot painting

Dot painting has been used to symbolise Aboriginal culture, and to a minor extent, Australian culture in general. The dot patterns are used on souvenirs, uniforms of Qantas staff, and wine bottles.

style developed in the 1970s when a white school teacher north of Alice Springs, Geoffrey Bardon, encouraged children to paint a mural using traditional body and sand painting techniques. Using acrylics, the children created a new style of painting.  

Boxing Kangaroo Flag

In 1983, the yacht Australia II ended the Americans 132 year dominance of the America's cup.

It was the manner of the victory rather than the prize itself that inspired the nation. 

The yacht's 'winged keel' reflected Australian innovative thinking whilst the very fact that they dared challenged American supremacy typified the Australian underdog's sense of self belief. 

Boomerang

The boomerang was a unique hunting tool, weapon and ritualised implement used by Aboriginal tribes.

The curved wings allowed the boomerang to fly, with the spin producing lift much like a helicopter.

The appeal of the boomerang could be its recognisability as Australian, its ingenuity, or the idea of something coming back.

VB

The VB logo is quite an unusual symbol to be used to express patriotism. Even though other cultures love beer, none would wear beer t-shirts to signal which country they come from, or wave beer cartoons in preference to their national flag.

Vegemite

Vegemite is a bread spread that is made from expired beer yeast.

As well as being sold in supermarkets, Vegemite is sold in souvenir stores .

The link between Australian travelling and Vegemite was popularised in the 1984 song, Downunder, which carried the lines:

“Buying bread from a man in brusselsHe was six foot four and full of musclesI said, do you speak-a my language? He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich”

Perhaps the appeal of Vegemite can be attributed to the fact that most foreigners hate it.

The Sydney Opera House

Despite not liking Opera, many Australians probably like the Opera House because it seems to represent a water and beach culture. The Opera House’s design looks a bit like shells on a beach or sails on the water.

The Opera House has frequently been used in advertising campaigns and business logos to symbolise both Sydney and Australia.

Uluru

the outback has traditionally had a central role in the Australian identity, the rock has been used as a symbolic heart of the outback.

The outback has traditionally had a central role in the Australian identity, the rock has been

used as a symbolic heart of the outback.

The Rainbow Serpent

The rainbow serpent was a mythological figure in many Aboriginal cultures.

The Aborigines told of a great snake that emerged from beneath the earth, winding from side to side, making the great rivers flow from its path. From its body sprang the tribes, the animals and the birds of Australia.

Today, the rainbow serpent has been incorporated into artwork that symbolises the interconnectivity of Aboriginal cultures with the environment.

The Aboriginal Flag

In Aboriginal protest marches in 1960s and early 1970s, Aborigines were outnumbered by non-Aborigines wanting to show their support.

Aboriginal artist Harold Thomas, so in 1971 he designed the Aboriginal flag.

The black is said to represent the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life.

Thomas said he deliberately put black on top of the red to make the flag appear more disturbing and reflect its protest function.

The informal cartoon character A very common depiction of the

Australian man is an informal looking cartoon character with a smile. Often the character is adorned with Australian inventions such as a cork hat or a stubby holder. The depiction is often seen on souvenir t-shirts, stubby holders and on internet sites trying to portray a fair dinkum Aussie feel.

As much as it pains some Australians to admit, Australian men have an informal, inventive, laid back and self-depreciating culture that generally puts lifestyle above show.

Things may change in the future, but until they do, the cartoon character is really quite a good representation of the Australian male's approach to life.