What is the NSW emblem?

The state emblems of New South Wales include the waratah (Telopea speciosissima) as floral emblem, the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) as animal emblem, the kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) as bird emblem, and the black opal as gemstone emblem. The state coat of arms also features two supporters: a lion (representing British heritage) and a kangaroo.

The waratah was officially adopted as the floral emblem in 1962. It is a tall shrub with vivid red flowers that bloom in spring across the sandstone country around Sydney and the Blue Mountains. The name comes from the Eora language of the Sydney region, recorded by the early colonists in 1788. The waratah appears on the centenary New South Wales five-cent coin, on the badges of the Australian Olympic team for many years, and on the logos of the New South Wales rugby league and netball state teams.

The platypus was proclaimed the state animal in 1971. The monotreme is one of only two egg-laying mammals in the world (the other being the echidna), is venomous through spurs on the male's hind legs, and is found in freshwater streams across eastern Australia. The platypus appears on the Australian 20-cent coin and is one of the most recognisable animal emblems of any Australian state. The kookaburra was added as bird emblem in 1971, recognised for its distinctive laughing call that ushers in mornings across eastern Australia.

The black opal, mined principally at Lightning Ridge in north-western New South Wales, was adopted as the state gemstone in 2008. Lightning Ridge is the world's main source of black opal, the most prized form of the gem, and the small mining town has become a cultural icon of inland New South Wales. The state's coat of arms was granted by King Edward VII in 1906 and is displayed on the cover of New South Wales government documents, court buildings, and Government House in Sydney.