What is the coat of arms?

The Australian coat of arms is the official emblem of the Commonwealth of Australia, granted by King George V on 19 September 1912 to replace an earlier 1908 design. It depicts a central shield supported on either side by a kangaroo and an emu, with the seven-pointed Commonwealth Star above, and the whole composition resting on a wreath of golden wattle.

The shield in the centre is divided into six quarters, one for each of the six original states. New South Wales is represented by the cross of Saint George with a lion and four stars; Victoria by the Southern Cross with a crown; Queensland by the blue Maltese Cross with a royal crown; South Australia by a white-backed magpie; Western Australia by a black swan; and Tasmania by a red lion on a white field. The shield is bordered by an ermine fillet, signalling that the federation unites all six states in one Crown.

The kangaroo and emu were chosen because both are native Australian animals said to be incapable of walking backwards, and so symbolise a country with its face set forward. They are the only large indigenous animals that could realistically serve as heraldic supporters in the British tradition. Above the shield sits the Commonwealth Star with seven points, matching the star on the national flag and standing for the six states and the territories.

The coat of arms appears on the cover of every Australian passport, on official government stationery, on the buildings of federal departments, on Australian fifty-cent coins, and on the badges of all branches of the Australian Defence Force. Schools and public buildings often display it alongside the flag, and it is reproduced in publications of the Australian Parliament, the High Court of Australia, and the federal courts.