.
The
State of Queensland Flag
The State flag dates from the time when Queensland was a self-governing
British colony with its own navy.
In 1865, the Governor of Queensland was told by the Admiralty in London that
the colony's vessels of war should fly the Blue Ensign, imposed with the
colony's badge, on the stern, and a blue pennant at the masthead. Other vessels
in the colony's services were to fly the same flag, but not the pennant.
At the time, Queensland did not have such a badge but, in due course, the
design of a proposed badge was submitted to London.
In 1875, the Governor received from London drawings of the badges of several
colonies, which the Admiralty proposed to insert in the Admiralty Flag Book. He
was asked to certify that the badge shown for the colony of Queensland was
correct.
The badge was composed of a representation of Queen Victoria's head, facing
right, on a blue background, encircled be a white band, with the word Queensland
in the top.
The Queensland Government thought it would be too difficult to adequately
reproduce the head of the Queen on a flag so an alternative design, of a Royal
Crown superimposed on a Maltese cross, was submitted to London.
In 1876, the Governor was advised that the Admiralty had "approved of
the device enclosed in your dispatch ... as the future badge of the colony for
insertion in ... the Blue Ensign for use by government vessels".
RETURN TO:
AUSTRALIAN
FLAGS
