Coat of arms of Australia

The coat of arms of Australia, officially the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It depicts a shield, containing symbols of Australia's six states, and is held up by native Australian animals, the kangaroo and the emu. The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star surmounting the crest also represents the states and territories, while golden wattle, the national floral emblem, appears below the shield.

Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Versions
Escutcheon-only version
Adopted19 September 1912
CrestThe Commonwealth Star: A seven-pointed star, or (gold)
TorseOr and azure (blue)
Shieldsee below
SupportersDexter (left) a red kangaroo, sinister (right) an emu, both proper (natural colours)
Compartmentnone, golden wattle is depicted in its place in commonly used versions
Mottonone, the name of the country is written on a scroll in commonly used versions
Commonwealth Coat of Arms 1908–1912
Adopted7 May 1908
Relinquished19 September 1912
CrestCommonwealth Star
TorseWhite and blue
SupportersRed kangaroo and emu
CompartmentGrassy field proper
MottoAdvance Australia

The first arms were authorised by King Edward VII on 7 May 1908, and the current version by King George V on 19 September 1912, although the 1908 version continued to be used in some contexts, notably appearing on the reverse of the sixpenny coin.

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