Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, has a variety of national symbols, including the kangaroo and the emu, which are endemic Australian fauna. These animals are depicted on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, which serves as the official symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. The kangaroo and emu hold symbolic value and have become widely recognised as Australian symbols.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| National Symbol of Australia | Kangaroo |
| Scientific Name | Macropus giganteus |
| Average Height | 1.3 - 1.8 m (4.3 - 6 ft) |
| Average Weight | 90 kg (198 lb) male; 28 kg (62 lb) female |
| Lifespan | Up to 23 years in captivity |
| Diet | Grasses, shrubs, leaves |
| Habitat | Open grasslands, woodland areas |
| Speed | Can reach speeds of over 60 km/h (37 mph) |
| Unique Features | Large, powerful hind legs; long, muscular tail; excellent leaping ability |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern (abundant in the wild) |
| Cultural Significance | Appears on the Australian coat of arms; considered a symbol of strength, agility, and resilience |
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What You'll Learn
The kangaroo and emu are the national animals of Australia
The red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is one of the most popular and well-known native Australian animals. It is the largest terrestrial mammal endemic to Australia and is found all across the mainland. Their total population is nearly 50 million, almost double the human population of Australia. The kangaroo is also a popular symbol of Australia to the rest of the world. Standing upright, the average height of a red kangaroo is approximately 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) tall.
The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is a large, native Australian bird. Its height ranges from 4.9 feet to 6.2 feet. The kangaroo and emu have become known as Australian symbols due to their inclusion on the country's coat of arms. They also feature on the Bowman Flag of 1805, which depicts a rose, shamrock and thistle supported by a kangaroo and emu.
The coat of arms of Australia, officially the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It was granted by King George V on 19 September 1912, replacing an earlier design granted by King Edward VII on 7 May 1908. The coat of arms features a shield, containing symbols of Australia's six states, and is held up by the kangaroo and emu. The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star or Star of Federation sits above the crest, also representing the states and territories, while golden wattle, the national floral emblem, appears below the shield.
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The animals are featured on the Australian Coat of Arms
The Australian Coat of Arms features two native Australian animals, the kangaroo and the emu, which hold up a shield. The animals symbolise progress and the nation moving forward, as neither animal can easily walk backwards. The red kangaroo on the left and the emu on the right are endemic to Australia, and they are the only fauna large enough to be positioned together in scale while holding up the shield. The animals have never been designated as official animal emblems of the nation, but they are well-known and recognisable. The Coat of Arms, also known as the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Coat of Arms was first authorised by King Edward VII on 7 May 1908, and a new version was authorised by King George V on 19 September 1912. The 1912 version is the one still used today, although the 1908 version continued to be used in some contexts, such as on the reverse of the sixpenny coin. The Coat of Arms is used by the Commonwealth to authenticate documents, indicate ownership of property, and for other identification purposes.
The shield itself contains symbols of Australia's six states, with each state's heraldic badge represented in one of the six quarters of the shield. The whole shield is surrounded by an ermine border, symbolising the "encompassing authority of the Australian crown". Above the shield is a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, which also represents the states and territories, and below the shield is golden wattle, the national floral emblem.
The Coat of Arms has undergone several redesigns, with some debate in Parliament about the inclusion of the kangaroo and emu. Willie Kelly, a member of Parliament for Wentworth, commented that the emu and kangaroo "hardly fit into the heraldic atmosphere". Despite these objections, the kangaroo and emu remained the shield bearers in the new coat of arms and were modified to appear more realistic.
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The Coat of Arms was granted by King George V in 1912
The Australian coat of arms is the formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It signifies Commonwealth authority and ownership. The Arms are used by Australian Government departments, agencies, statutory and non-statutory authorities, the Parliament, and Commonwealth courts and tribunals. Senators and Federal Members of the Australian Parliament may also use the Arms in the course of their duties.
The current coat of arms, also known as the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, was granted by King George V in 1912. The coat of arms features a shield, held up by native Australian animals—the kangaroo and the emu. The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, also known as the crest, sits above the shield and represents the states and territories. The background is the Golden Wattle, the National Floral Emblem.
The first quarter, representing New South Wales, has a silver background, featuring the Cross of St George containing an heraldic gold lion. The second quarter, representing Victoria, has a blue background with five stars, one of eight points, two of seven points, one of six points, and one of five points (the constellation of the Southern Cross) with an Imperial Crown placed above the first star. The third quarter, representing Queensland, has a silver background with a blue Maltese Cross and an Imperial Crown. The fourth quarter, representing South Australia, has a gold background with an Australian Piping Shrike perched on a twisted band of green and red. The fifth quarter, representing Western Australia, has a black background with a gold swan. The sixth quarter, representing Tasmania, has a silver background with a red lion.
The coat of arms granted by King George V in 1912 replaced the initial coat of arms granted by King Edward VII in 1908. The 1908 arms were redesigned in 1911, and the new design was officially granted by King George V in 1912. The new design included specific references to the Australian states, which were absent from the 1908 Arms. The 1912 coat of arms is of special significance, and each element, such as the colours, has a specific meaning.
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The animals symbolise progress as neither can walk backwards
The kangaroo and the emu are the national animals of Australia. They are depicted on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the official symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Coat of Arms features a shield, which is held up by the kangaroo and the emu. The animals were likely chosen because they are the most well-known native Australian animals that are large enough to be positioned together in scale supporting the shield.
The kangaroo and the emu are endemic Australian fauna, found only on the Australian continent. The red kangaroo, in particular, is one of the most popular and well-known native Australian animals. It is the largest terrestrial mammal endemic to Australia and is found all across the mainland. The red kangaroo has also managed to inhabit vast swathes of the continent, despite the harsh weather conditions. In the past, kangaroos have even outnumbered human populations in Australia.
The kangaroo and the emu symbolise progress, as neither animal can easily walk backwards. This symbolism of the nation moving forward is reflected in the positioning of the animals on the Coat of Arms. The animals hold up the shield, which represents the six states and federation of Australia.
The Coat of Arms also features a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, or Star of Federation, above a blue and gold wreath, forming the crest. Six of the points on the star represent the original six states, while the seventh point represents the territories. The background of the Coat of Arms features a wreath of golden wattle, Australia's national flower.
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The Aboriginal Flag was granted Flag of Australia status in 1995
The kangaroo is the most well-known animal that is a national symbol of Australia. However, the emu, koala, and wombat are also considered symbols of the nation.
The Aboriginal Flag
The Aboriginal flag, designed by Aboriginal artist Harold Thomas, was first flown in Adelaide in July 1971. The flag was designed for the land rights movement and became a symbol of the Aboriginal people of Australia and their connection to the land.
On 14 July 1995, the Keating government advised the proclamation of the Aboriginal flag as "the flag of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia and to be known as the Australian Aboriginal flag", under section five of the Flags Act 1953. The Governor-General of Australia, William Hayden, proclaimed the flag as one of the 'Flags of Australia', recognising the importance and acceptance of the flag by the Australian community.
The Aboriginal flag has a unique design with horizontal black and red regions of equal size, and a yellow disc superimposed over the centre. The colours of the flag hold significant meaning, representing the Aboriginal people's connection to the land and their ongoing struggle for land rights and recognition.
The flag has become a powerful symbol of Aboriginal pride and reconciliation, often flown alongside the Australian national flag. Its legal recognition in 1995 marked an important step in acknowledging the history and culture of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia.
In January 2022, the Commonwealth of Australia acquired the copyright to the flag's design, allowing the public to freely reproduce the design on various mediums.
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Frequently asked questions
The red kangaroo and the emu are the national animals of Australia. They are featured on the Australian Coat of Arms, holding up a shield that symbolises Australia's six states.
The kangaroo and the emu are native Australian animals and birds. They symbolise progress and the nation moving forward as neither animal can easily walk backwards.
The koala is another well-known Australian animal and an unofficial symbol of the country.
