The History Of The Australian Aboriginal Flag

Often flown alongside the Australian National Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag holds a special legal and political status in the community, originally beginning its life to help protesters earn recognition in the land rights movement.
In the late 1960s the Australian Aboriginals increased their campaigns for the Indigenous to gain back their land rights through an uprise in protest marches and demonstrations. However, Aboriginal artist Harold Thomas noticed that they were often outnumbered by others who had their own banners. With the necessity to make themselves more visible as protests increased in the early 1970s, Thomas created the Aboriginal flag as a symbol for both Aboriginal people and as a ‘symbol of their race and identity’.

Horizontally the flag is divided into a black region (above) and a red region (beneath), with a yellow circle in the centre of the flag. The black is said to ‘represent the Aboriginal people of Australia’,the red represents the red earth of Australia, ‘the red ochre used in ceremonies and Aboriginal peoples’ spiritual relation to the land’ and the yellow circle ‘represents the Sun, the giver of life and protector’.

This flag was first flown on 12 July 1971 in Adelaide’s Victoria Square on National Aborigines Day, and was then used at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra from late 1972. Whilst continuing to hold intellectual property rights to the design, Thomas’ design came to be known as the symbol of the Australian Aboriginal people.

Great controversy arose at the 1994 Commonwealth Games when Cathy Freeman ran her victory lap after winning the 200m sprint carrying both the Aboriginal and Australian national flags, despite being told she could only display the Australian national [flag]. Criticism arose from the Games’ officials as well as the Australian team president Arthur Tunstall, but this did not stop Freeman from again carrying both flags after winning the 400m sprint.

Following this, the Government of Australia granted the Aboriginal Flag the ‘Flag of Australia’ status in 1995, under the Flags Act 1953, which also saw Thomas seek legal recognition for the flag’s design and ownership. However, due to administrative oversight the proclamation of 1995 was not lodged, which caused the flag to expire on 1 January 2008. As a result an almost-identical flag replaced the original on 25 January 2008. The proclamation that followed in 2008 stated that the flag ‘is recognised as the flag of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia and a flag of significance to the Australian nation generally’ and is from here, now on, appointed ‘to be the flag of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia and to be known as the Australian Aboriginal Flag’.

The Australian aboriginal flag flying in Victoria Square, Adelaide, South Australia

During the 2000 Summer Olympics, the National Indigenous Advisory Committee campaigned for their flag to be flown during the games, as, after all, the Aboriginal flag was now a Flag of Australia. As a result, the flag was flown over Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Upon the 30th anniversary of the Aboriginal flag, thousands of people carried Aboriginal flags from the South Australia Parliament to Victoria Square. After a recommendation by the council, the Aboriginal flag was permanently flown in Victoria Square and at the front of the town hall, where it remains today. From this moment forward, many more buildings began to fly the Aboriginal flag next to the Australian National flag and the individual state flags.

Today, there have been suggestions for the Aboriginal flag to replace the Union Jack on the current Australian National flag to create a new National flag. However, this has made Thomas uneasy, stating that ‘our flag is not a secondary thing. It stands on its own, not to be placed as an adjunct to any other thing. It shouldn’t be treated that way.’

Aboriginal flag flying with Australian flags

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.