Flag of South Australia facts for kids
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| Use | Civil and state flag  |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | 1904 |
| Design | A British blue ensign with the state badge in the fly |
The flag of South Australia is an important symbol for the state of South Australia. The government officially adopted this flag in 1904.
This flag uses a design called the British Blue Ensign. This means it is a blue flag with the Union Jack (the flag of the United Kingdom) in the top left corner. The flag also has a special picture, called a state badge, on the right side. This badge is a gold circle showing a piping shrike. This bird has its wings spread wide. Robert Craig, an art teacher, is thought to have designed this badge. It became official on January 14, 1904.
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Understanding the South Australian Flag
The current flag of South Australia is based on a British Blue Ensign. This type of flag has a blue background. It also features the Union Jack, which is the flag of the United Kingdom, in its upper left corner.
The main part of the South Australian flag is its state badge. This badge is placed on the right side of the flag, known as the "fly." The badge is a gold circle. Inside the circle, you can see a piping shrike bird. This bird is shown with its wings spread out.
The Piping Shrike Symbol
The piping shrike is a well-known bird in South Australia. It is also called the white-backed magpie. This bird is a symbol of the state.
The design of the piping shrike badge was created by Robert Craig. He was a teacher at the School of Arts in Adelaide. The badge was officially made part of the flag on January 14, 1904.
South Australia's Older Flags
South Australia has had different flags throughout its history. Each flag showed how the state was developing.
The First Flag (1870-1876)
The very first flag for South Australia was adopted in 1870. Like the current flag, it was also a British Blue Ensign. However, its design was different.
This flag had a black circle on the right side. Inside the circle, it showed the Southern Cross constellation. It also included two bright stars. These stars are Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri. They are often called "the Pointers" because they point to the Southern Cross.
The Second Flag (1876-1904)
South Australia adopted its second flag in 1876. This flag was also a Blue Ensign. It featured a completely new badge design.
The badge on this flag showed a woman named Britannia. She represents the new settlers arriving in Australia. Britannia was shown meeting an Aboriginal person. The Aboriginal person was sitting with a spear on a rocky shore. A kangaroo appeared to be carved into the rocks behind them. This flag was changed because the older one looked too much like the flags of New Zealand and Victoria.
Ideas for a New Flag
There have been discussions about changing the South Australian flag again. In 2016, a suggestion was made to create a "more multicultural" flag.
This idea was supported at a meeting of the South Australian Labor Party. It is not yet known if the State Government will decide to create a new flag based on this proposal.
