16 Sep: Townsville – 2nd Australian National Flag officially flown, this time a Vice-Regal occasion
The Australian National Flag was flown at Old Town Hall, Flinders Street, Townsville, Queensland, raised by the first Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun.
The flag was a locally made, fully sewn wool bunting flag, 3.6 metres long, known then as 4 Yard size. A large crowd of civilian and military personnel cheered as the flag was raised.
This was the 2nd Australian National Flag to be flown officially, after the first at the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, and the first in Queensland.
Australian National Flag flown at Old Town Hall, Flinders Street, Townsville, Queensland on 16 Sep, 1901. Raised by the first Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun.
Making the Australian National Flag for the Townsville event
Lord Hopetoun had been invited to attend the launch of the Australian National Flag in Melbourne on 3 Sep, but he declined due to ill health. Instead he took a goodwill tour of Northern Australia, visiting Townsville on 16 Sep. There was in fact no plan for a flag raising ceremony in Townsville. However thanks to the initiative and effort of local sailmaker William McKenzie, the visit become the 2nd official raising of the Australian National Flag.
30 Aug: Lord Hopetoun notified, via telegraph, the Mayor of Townsville of his plans to visit on 16 Sep (there was some confusion about the date initially). The notification contained no request for a flag raising ceremony.
~ 7 Sep: Townsville Council requested William McKenzie, local sailmaker, to prepare bunting for the visit – no evidence of any request for a flag
14 Sep: McKenzie had made the Australian National Flag for the visit, apparently on his own initiative.
It is believed that McKenzie had asked a friend in Melbourne to telegraph a description of the winning flag and may have also used an illustration published in the North Queensland Herald to make a template for his locally sewn flag. McKenzie produced a quality copy of the ‘first flag of the Commonwealth’ in quick time.
Mary (nee Brown) (1866 – 1918) and William McKenzie (1858 – 1928) on their wedding day in 1890 in Brisbane
William McKenzie’s letter to The Mayor of Townsville on 14 Sep, 1901, declaring his gift of the Australian National Flag to the Townsville Council, with the intent of its use in a flag raising ceremony for Lord Hopetoun’s visit on 16 Sep.
William McKenzie’s business on Flinders St, Townsville, in 1918, probably on 14 Nov in celebration of the Armistice (on 11 Nov), ending WW1.
William McKenzie’s business on Flinders St, Townsville, in 1913
For more information, please refer to the following paper:
TOWNSVILLE FLAG made by William McKenzie of SWAGMAN tents & goods