AUSTRALIA - THE FLAG
An Australia to Inspire the World
The dawn of a new day in an ancient land.
Sunburnt Flag Design Inspiration - defining - PLACE - NOT RACE .
BEYOND THE REFERENDUM... BEYOND SORRY... THE TRUE SYMBOL OF RESPECT - FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS
- A SYMBOL OF HOPE & PARTNERSHIP.
On May 27th 1967 Australia voted overwhelmingly to include indigenous Australians in the Census and thus more equal citizenship with a 90.77% Yes vote.
On May 26th 2000 Australia voted with their feet when 450,000 Australians marched on Bridge Walks around Australia on National Sorry Day.
A McNair survey in 1997 showed that 46% of Australians wanted to change the flag, 46% wanted to keep the existing flag and 8% were undecided. However 66% of Australians wanted to see a significant Aboriginal component in the Australian Flag . The most recent surveys show that now nearly 80% of Australians would like to include indigenous Australia in our primary national symbol - the Australian Flag.
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| 75 Anniversary of Sydney Harbour Bridge | Photo courtesy - A Carroll - Newcastle |
I would like to thank the following people who helped inspire the Sunburnt Flag Design and their example encouraged me to put it forward as a symbol of Love and Respect for Australia:-
Cathy Freeman for carrying the Australian and Aboriginal Flags together at the Commonwealth Games of 1994 and again at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Cathy gave us a hint of the authentic Australia. She inspired the joining of the two flags. Why does our Australian flag not include Indigenous Australia?
Ausflag - their Professional Design Competition in 1997 inspired me to refine the design with repositioning of the Southern Cross from the Fly end to Canton (Place of Honour) at the Hoist end of the Sunburnt Flag, conceived the previous year from the elements of Nature in Australian and Aboriginal Flags plus the Rising Sun over the Blood of the Anzacs. I was not eligible to enter as I was not a member of one of the recognised professional designer's bodies. Sunburnt Flag No.2 which was sent to HM The Queen in November 1998 is in the Ausflag collection. I would like to see it presented to Cathy Freeman as a thank you for the inspiration.
See Ausflag website - www.ausflag.com.au for comprehensive history their search for a truly Australian Flag for all Australians.
Yahoo Serious, John Williamson and Fred Reibens are amongst the variety of interesting design proposals also found on the net in addition to those on the Ausflag site.
Ali Golding - Redfern Aboriginal Elder , my ‘ adopted ' Aboriginal mum whose support and encouragement for me personally, plus the Sunburnt Flag's suitability as the symbol of our unique Australian National Identity is greatly appreciated.
George Poulos - Australian Iconographer / Vexillographer (flag designer), for his enthusiastic encouragement for me to put the Sunburnt Flag out for all Australians wanting a truly Aussie Flag to fly.
Professor John Ramsland OAM - Historian / Author for his shared vision and support to recognise our complete heritage and vision for the future.
Suppliers of Sunburnt Flag Products exclusively to the Sunburnt Flag Project:-
Harry West Flags (Sydney) - sewn flags (they made the original samples of the sunburnt flag in 1997 & 1998)
Evan Evans Flags (Melbourne) - 14 year old Igor Evans was one of the 5 join design winners of the 1901 Blue & Red Australian Ensigns.
Simba Towels (Melbourne)
Badger Makes Badges (Hobart)
Prestige Labels (Sydney)
15 years after Cathy Freeman flew the question in our face,
26 years after Ausflag started the search,
38 years after the Aboriginal Flag,
42 years after Aboriginal more equal citizenship post Referendum,
55 years after the Union Jack was no longer our national flag,
94 years after Anzac Day,
108 years after Federation -
Australia is ready to redefine itself in one symbol.
I LOVE A SUNBURNT COUNTRY - AUSTRALIA
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FOUR ELEMENTS OF NATURE OFFER MANY IMPORTANT SYMBOLS OF WHO WE ARE AND WERE WE LIVE:-
The Southern Cross in the place of honour shining over the Sunburnt Country
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'I LOVE & RESPECT A SUNBURNT COUNTRY' AUSTRALIA * |
Our Shared Heritage & Our Shared Future
One Flag For All Of Us, All Of The Time:-
AUSTRALIA - Our Place Of Partnership - With Nature & Each Other.
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In 1996 inspired by Cathy Freeman and Ausflag - Stephen Berry asked the Aboriginal and Australian flags how they would like to be in equal partnership with each other (both with 2/3 of the Sunburnt Flag height). Folding each in half - folding the race part away and keeping the place part found - Four Elements of Nature in partnership. These then uncovered many other Australian symbols including the Rising Sun - equally important throughout Australian history as the Southern Cross and the symbol of the Anzacs.
Copyright, Registered Design and Trademark to the people of Australia. Until then all rights are reserved by Stephen Berry and will be licensed to the Spirit of Wadu Trust, managed by Sunburnt Flag Pty Ltd.
4 Elements of Nature from 4 important Australian symbols come together in partnership to show our Love and Respect to Australia.
In considering state and military versions of the Sunburnt Flag these came similarly naturally.
Naval Ensign of Sunburnt Flag The white Australian Naval Ensign - became sourced the same as the existing flag. The colours of the sky and stars were reversed, to a blue Southern Cross in a white sky and the red earth becomes the blue sea. Naval Ensign of Sunburnt Flag - Reverse Colours In correct Vexillogical form the red rising sun is most appropriate on a white sky. (Two 'metals' - white & gold should not adjoin without separation by a 'colour'). It also reminds us that the Anzac Rising Sun was victorious at the time of threat from the Japanese Rising Sun (a full red disc on white flag) including extraordinary Aussie service in the Kokoda campaign in PNG. Red Ensign - Merchant & Civil Vessels The Australian Red Ensign - for non naval vessels (merchant & civilian) reversed the colour of the earth and sky to give the rising (or setting) sun over a blue ocean that surrounds the only island continent on our blue planet, with the red pre-dawn or sunset sky. RAAF Flag - with Kangaroo in disc The Australian Air Force sky became sky blue with the kangaroo (included in 1982) in the RAAF roundel (disc) at the fly end [opposite to the hoist end, flag pole end] of the flag. State Flag logos with 'Full Moon' The Australian State flags could have their state symbols (existing or new) either within the earth or sky. If in the sky on the fly end of the flag it would be like a full moon in the sky as the state logo. Victoria could simply add the Crown above the Southern Cross. All states would then still feature the Southern Cross and the Rising Sun on their flags to replace the ‘defaced' British Blue Ensign that exists at present. Likewise the Territories of the NT & ACT can use their symbols as they already do with the Southern Cross which is featured on the hoist end of their existing flags. Sporting Colours Logo of Sunburnt Flag The Green & Gold Rising Sun Australian Sporting Colours Flag - includes the rising sun on cricket caps on the 'baggy green.'
If Australia wanted the option of the Sunburnt Flag inclusive of a sixth Federation Star as a nation flag, this could be achieved in a similar form to the state logo version with all the states in the one additional Federation Star in the fly end of the flag.
VISION:- Love & Respect For Australia OUR SHARED HERITAGE AND OUR SHARED FUTURE.
Our Place of Partnership - with Each Other and with The Planet:-
Notes : -
There were 13 nationalities on the First Fleet to Australia - even European settlement was based on a mix of cultures from the outset of European settlement.
What of Captain Cook's brief on claiming Australia for England on Possession Island on the tip of Australia?
The British government had not financed his expedition. It was the Royal Society and their specific instructions were that Aboriginal people were the owners and the land may not be claimed without their permission and cooperation.
Cook found that they were a happier people than the Europeans.
Joseph Banks cited that they had no concept of ‘ownership' of land and therefore their permission was not necessary..... The rest is history....
It is now time for Australia to become more than a British Colony, to honour the indigenous and migrant Australians as well as those all who have served Australian with love, respect and devotion.
It is about Love and Respect for Australia - not just ‘Mother England'.
Time for Australia to mature as a unique nation - the only island continent in the world....
Of Nature's Gifts of Beauty Rich and Rare ----- time to Advance Australia Fair...
The Sunburnt Flag became a Registered Design ® & Registered Trade Mark TM on 4 August 2000 ; © Copyright 1996:- Stephen Berry *;
Registered Domain Names - sunburntflag.com.au & sunburntflag.com
"Sunburnt Flag" & "Spirit of Wadu" are ® Registered Business Names.
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