The Coat of Arms was granted by King George V on 19 September 1912, to be borne and used 'upon Seals, Shields, Banners, or otherwise according to the Laws of Arms'. It consists of a shield containing 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 Warrant describes the Arms as:
'Quarterly of six, the first quarter Argent a Cross Gules charged with a Lion passant guardant between on each limb a Mullet of eight points Or; the second Azure file Mullets, one of eight, two of seven, one of six and one of five points of the first (representing the Constellation of the Southern Cross) ensigned with an Imperial Crown proper; the third of the first a Maltese Cross of the fourth, surmounted by a like Imperial Crown; the forth of the third, on a Perch wreathed Vert and Gules an Australian Piping Shrike displayed also proper; the fifth also Or a Swan naiant to the sinister Sable; the last of the first, a Lion passant of the second, the whole within a Bordure Ermine'; for the Crest on a Wreath Or and Azure 'A Seven pointed Star Or', and for Supporters 'dexter A Kangaroo, sinister An Emu, both proper'.
The Australian Coat of Arms is commonly but incorrectly referred to as the 'Commonwealth Crest'. Strictly speaking, the Crest is the device above the shield and helmet on a coat of arms and in this instance is a seven-pointed gold star on a blue and gold wreath. Six of the points represent each of the States of the Commonwealth, the seventh point represents the Commonwealth Territories.
The Supporters are native Australian animals: the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). Usually the Arms is depicted on a background of sprays of golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) with a scroll beneath it containing the word 'Australia'. The wattle and scroll, however, are not part of the armorial design and are not mentioned in the Royal Warrant.
The first official coat of arms of Australia was granted by a Royal Warrant of King Edward VII in 1908. This Coat of Arms was used on some Australian coins after it was superseded and last appeared on the sixpenny piece in 1966.
The Australian Government uses the Coat of Arms to authenticate documents and for other official purposes. Its uses range from embellishing the Australian passport to being widely recognised as the badge on the famous 'baggy green' cricket cap.
Australia has never adopted any official motto or floral, faunal or bird emblem. By popular tradition, however, the golden wattle, kangaroo and emu are widely accepted as national floral, faunal and bird emblems.
For many years, the motto 'Advance Australia' appeared on unofficial Coats of Arms, even before the Federation of the States in 1901. It was included in the 1908 Arms, and was popularly accepted in association with the 19th century song 'Advance Australia Fair'. A revised version of this song officially became Australia's national anthem in 1984.
On that same day, Australia also officially adopted green and gold as its national colours. Until then, the nation had no official national colours, although the use of green and gold by Australia's international sporting teams had become a tradition and had been associated with its Olympic teams since the 1920s.
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 8-pointed star on each extremity of the cross.
VICTORIA - White Southern Cross (one star of 8 points, 2 of 7 points one of 6 points and one of 5 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 (or Piping Shrike), 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.
Sources: 'Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers, 4th edition' 1992, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra,
and the 'Australia's Coat of Arms', FACT SHEET NO. 18 JANUARY 1998
