List of Australian floral emblems facts for kids
Australia is a huge country with amazing plants! Just like countries have flags or anthems, they also have special flowers called floral emblems. These flowers represent the country or its states and territories. They are chosen because they are unique, beautiful, or have a special meaning. This article will tell you about Australia's national flower and the official flowers for each of its states and territories.
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The Story Behind Australia's Floral Emblems
After the different Australian colonies joined together to form one country in 1901, people started looking for a special flower to represent the whole nation. This was part of a growing feeling of national pride.
Choosing a National Flower
A man named Archibald Campbell started the Wattle Club in 1899. He wanted to show how special the wattle flower was to Australia. For the national flower, the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) was considered. Another strong contender was the New South Wales Waratah.
Some people, like botanist R. T. Baker, thought the Waratah was a better choice. They felt it was more unique to Australia and had very striking flowers. However, in 1912, the Golden Wattle was chosen. It wasn't until 1 September 1988 that the Golden Wattle was officially declared Australia's national floral emblem.
State and Territory Emblems
Each state and territory in Australia also chose its own special flower:
- In New South Wales, the New South Wales Waratah (Telopea speciosissima) had been used informally for many years. It was officially made the state's floral emblem in 1962 by the governor, Sir Eric Woodward.
- Queensland chose the Cooktown Orchid (Vappodes phalaenopsis) as its official floral emblem on 19 November 1959.
- In Western Australia, the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos manglesii) became the floral emblem in November 1960. The Premier of Western Australia, David Brand, made this choice to encourage tourists to see the state's beautiful wildflowers.
- South Australia adopted Sturt's Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa) as its floral emblem on 23 November 1961.
- The Tasmanian Government declared the Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) as their state floral emblem on 5 December 1962. However, it is not often seen as a popular symbol.
Floral Emblems on Stamps
Australia's state flowers have even appeared on postage stamps!
- In July 1968, a set of six stamps was released, each showing the flower of one state.
- In March 2014, another series of seven stamps came out, featuring the six state flowers and the Golden Wattle.
- Sturt's Desert Pea and the Golden Wattle were also on special coil stamps in 1970.
List of Australian Floral Emblems
Here is a list of Australia's national, state, and territory floral emblems:
| Area represented | Image | Common name | Binomial nomenclature | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia |
 |
Golden Wattle | Acacia pycnantha | |
| Australian Capital Territory |
 |
Royal Bluebell | Wahlenbergia gloriosa | |
| New South Wales |
 |
New South Wales Waratah | Telopea speciosissima | |
| Northern Territory |
 |
Sturt's Desert Rose | Gossypium sturtianum | |
| Queensland |
 |
Cooktown Orchid | Vappodes phalaenopsis | |
| South Australia |
 |
Sturt's Desert Pea | Swainsona formosa | |
| Tasmania |
 |
Tasmanian Blue Gum | Eucalyptus globulus | |
| Victoria |
 |
Pink (Common) Heath | Epacris impressa | |
| Western Australia |
 |
Red and Green Kangaroo Paw | Anigozanthos manglesii |
See also
