Editing Culture of Australia (section)

==Symbols==
{{Main|National symbols of Australia|Australian royal symbols}}
[[File:Golden-wattle.jpg|thumb|left|[[Golden Wattle]], Australia's floral emblem and the source of Australia's national colours, [[green and gold]]]]
When the Australian colonies federated on 1 January 1901, an official competition for a design for an [[Flag of Australia|Australian flag]] was held. The design that was adopted contains the [[Union Jack]] in the left corner, symbolising Australia's historical links to the [[United Kingdom]], the stars of the [[Crux|Southern Cross]] on the right half of the flag indicating Australia's geographical location, and the seven-pointed Federation Star in the bottom left representing the six [[states and territories of Australia|states and the territories of Australia]].<ref name= "otherflags">{{Cite web |title=Australian Flags |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/resource/download/australia-flag-booklet-fa-accessible.pdf |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=pmc.gov.au }}</ref> Other official flags include the [[Australian Aboriginal flag]], the [[Torres Strait Islander flag]] and the flags of the individual states and territories.<ref name= "otherflags" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/otherflag.cfm |title=It's an Honour – Symbols – Other Australian Flags |access-date=30 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719051017/http://itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/otherflag.cfm |archive-date=19 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[Coat of arms of Australia|Australian Coat of Arms]] was granted by [[George V|King George V]] in 1912 and consists of a shield containing the badges of the six states, within an ermine border. The crest above the shield and helmet is a seven-pointed gold star on a blue and gold wreath, representing the 6 states and the territories. The shield is supported by a [[red kangaroo]] and an [[emu]], which were chosen to symbolise a nation moving forward.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commonwealth Coat of Arms |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/honours-and-symbols/commonwealth-coat-arms |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=www.pmc.gov.au}}</ref>

Green and gold were confirmed as [[National colours of Australia|Australia's national colours]] in 1984, though the colours had been adopted on the uniforms of Australia's sporting teams long before this.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australia's national colours |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/australian-symbols-booklet/national-symbols/australias-national-colours |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=www.pmc.gov.au}}</ref> The [[Acacia pycnantha|Golden Wattle]] (''Acacia pycnantha'') was officially proclaimed as the national floral emblem in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Golden Wattle |url=https://www.anbg.gov.au/emblems/aust.emblem.html |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=Australian National Botanic Gardens |language=}}</ref>

Reflecting the country's status as a [[constitutional monarchy]], [[the Crown]] remains part of Australian public life, maintaining a visual presence through federal and state coats of arms, [[List of Australian organisations with royal patronage|charitable and cultural  patronage]], the names and symbols of public institutions and the governor-general and state governors, who are the [[Monarchy of Australia|monarch's]] representatives on Australian soil.<ref>{{Cite thesis |title=The Crown in Australia: An anthropological study of a constitutional symbol |url=https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/30432 |publisher=The University of Auckland|date=2016 |degree= |first=S. |last=Raudon |pages=13–14 |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref> Some [[Banknotes of the Australian dollar|Australian banknotes]] and all [[Coins of the Australian dollar|coins]] bear an image of the [[monarch]].{{efn|Historically, since the introduction of [[Decimalisation#Australia_and_New_Zealand|decimal currency]], the lowest denomination note ([[Australian one-dollar note|$1]] from 1966, until the note's replacement by a [[Australian one-dollar coin|coin]] in 1984; [[Australian five-dollar note|$5]] since 1992) has depicted [[Queen Elizabeth II]], as have all coins until her death in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Queen Elizabeth II |url=https://museum.rba.gov.au/exhibitions/queen-elizabeth-ii/ |access-date=25 September 2024 |website=Reserve Bank of Australia |language=en-au}}</ref> [[King Charles III]]'s image appeared on new $1 coins in 2023, and all new coins by 2024.<ref name="Charles on all coins"/> In 2023 the [[Reserve Bank of Australia|Reserve Bank]] announced that the design of the $5 note would be updated, replacing Elizabeth with imagery that "honours the culture and history of the [[Indigenous Australians|First Australians]]", instead of Charles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2023/mr-23-02.html|title=New $5 Banknote Design|publisher=[[Reserve Bank of Australia]]|date=2023-02-01|access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref>}}<ref name="Charles on all coins">{{Cite news |date=2024-05-15 |title=Effigy of King Charles III now on all coins made at the Royal Australian Mint |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-15/king-charles-australian-coins-full-set-2024/103846914 |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> At least 14,9% of lands in Australia are referred to as [[Crown land]], considered [[public land]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who owns Australia? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2021/may/17/who-owns-australia |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=The Guardian |language=}}</ref> There are many geographic places that have been named in honour of a reigning monarch, including the states of [[Queensland]] and [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], named after [[Queen Victoria]], with numerous rivers, streets, squares, parks and buildings carrying the names of past or present members of the royal family.