The
Eureka flag was used by the gold miners at the Eureka Stockade at Ballarat, Victoria. On
29 November 1854, the miners raised a plain blue flag with a white cross linking five
white stars and swore an oath to fight to defend their rights. They were protesting
against the introduction of a miner's licence fee and other perceived political and
economic injustices. |
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The Eureka Flag is important because of its early use of the Southern Cross, but not the Union Jack. It expressed a sense of identity growing out of the colonial period.
The five stars on the flag symbolise the constellation the Southern Cross, representing the stars Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon, which is the centre star.
The Southern Cross is a prominent constellation seen from the southern hemisphere. It denotes Australia’s geographical position in the world.
The Eureka flag continues to be used as a symbol of nationalism, having been revived by a wide variety of activists. |
