Australian National Flag Day is celebrated on 3 September. It commemorates the day in 1901 (115 years ago) on which the Australian National Flag was first flown. On that day Prime Minister Edmund Barton announced the winners of a competition to design a flag for Australia. A large flag, 5.5 by 11 metres (18 by 36 ft), was flown over the dome of the Royal Exhibition building in Melbourne.
In 1901 a competition was help to design a new Federal flag and Federal Seal. The prize was to be 50 pounds and there were over 8000 entries. The competition was won by well known newsagent and stationer Thompsons, of Bourke-street east, Melbourne. Victoria
The following photograph and drawing show the winning entries. As you will see the largest star has been made smaller on our current flag.
The Winning Flag – Western Argus 17.9.1901
Winning design of Federal flag and seal
Western Argus 1901
FEDERAL FLAG COMPETITION.
The Prime Minister is communicating wfith
gentlemen In the various States with a view
Fix this textto at once appointing a board to judge the
competitive designs for the Federal flag and
seal. About 7000 designs have been received
for the fiag and about 300 tor the seal.
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Moya Sharp
Owner at Outback Family History
My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.
More brilliance from Moya, I love the history.