Australia Coat of Arms

The present coat of arms was granted by King George V in 1912.

It consists of a shield depicting the badges of the six Australian states, enclosed by an ermine border. The shield is a symbol for the federation of the states, which took place in 1901.

The flowers showing are of sprays of golden wattle a national plant of Australia.

The wattle and scroll, however, are not part of the armorial design and are not mentioned in the Royal Warrant.

On the left is a Kangaroo and the right an Emu. It is thought the kangaroo and emu were chosen to symbolise a nation moving forward, reflecting a common belief that neither animal can move backwards easily.

The Australian coat of arms consists of the badges of the six states of the Commonwealth arranged on a shield in two rows of three columns:

New South Wales—Golden lion passant (right to left) on a red St George’s Cross on a silver background (usually depicted white), with an eight-pointed star on each extremity of the cross.
Victoria—White Southern Cross (one star of eight points, two of seven points, one of six points and one of five points), beneath an Imperial Crown, on a blue background.
Queensland—light blue Maltese cross with an Imperial Crown at its centre, on a white background.
South Australia—the white-backed magpie, erect, wings outstretched, on a yellow background.
Western Australia—Black swan swimming, left to right, on a yellow background.
Tasmania—Red lion passant (right to left) on a white background.

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