Welcome everyone to the Flag Day Australia website!

Australian National Flag Day is on the 3rd September. It marks the anniversary of the birth of the Australian National Flag in 1901, the year of the Federation of Australia.

The first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Barton, flew the flag for the first time at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, then Parliament House, on 3rd Sep, 1901. At the same time, the red ensign was declared the official flag of the Merchant Navy.

The Australian National Flag                                     The red ensign of the Australian National Flag

The Australian National Flag reminds us of the contributions to Australia, past and present, in peace and in war. It represents all Australians. The Flag stands for the Federation of Australia, and our values of parliamentary democracy and freedom of speech.

John Vaughan, noted vexillologist, initiated the commemoration of Australian National Flag Day in Sydney in 1984. In 1996, the day was officially established by proclamation of the Governor General, Sir William Deane.

Flag Day Australia’s goal is to keep the celebration of Flag Day going. Unfortunately  COVID has thrown our plans for this year, which had been to celebrate the day in Martin Place. However we will still celebrate the day by other means, including forming a network with friends of the flag and sharing their stories and pictures of their own celebration.

From 2021, we will resume the Flag Day ceremony in Martin Place.

Please be part of the Flag Day celebration and join Flag Day Australia, by hitting the Join Now button! We’ll reach out to you and bring you into our network of friends of the flag.

Doug Shaw

President, Flag Day Australia

20/6/20