The original Eureka Flag is owned by the people of Ballarat, held in trust by the Art Gallery of Ballarat, having been gifted by the descendants of John King, the trooper who captured it after the 1854 Eureka Stockade rebellion. While the physical flag is conserved at the gallery, its image is widely used as a symbol for various groups, including unions, republicans, and sometimes far-right movements, leading to debates over its ownership and meaning.
Yes, flying the Eureka Flag is generally legal in Australia as a symbol of democracy, but it's illegal on federally regulated construction sites due to federal building codes linking it to union activity and potential "no ticket, no start" policies, leading to fines for employers. Outside of construction, it's widely used by various groups, though its association with far-right elements also creates negative connotations, notes Quora users.
The $20 million paid for the Aboriginal flag's copyright went to Luritja artist Harold Thomas, the flag's designer, and the license holders, with the Australian Federal Government acquiring the rights in 2022 to make the flag freely available for public use, ending long-standing disputes and licensing issues. The deal also included funding for an Indigenous student scholarship and directing royalties to NAIDOC.
The flag was first raised on 9 July 1971. In 1995, the Aboriginal flag was recognised by the Australian Government as an official 'Flag of Australia' under the Flags Act 1953. In January 2022, the Commonwealth of Australia acquired the copyright of the Aboriginal Flag.
The flag is on public view at the Eureka Centre in Ballarat, on long-term loan from the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Did you know: At 30 shillings per month (the equivalent of three dollars per month in Australian decimal currency), the miners licence on the Ballarat goldfields of 1854 was twice the average weekly wage.
Lalor was seriously wounded in the left arm, resulting in its amputation. A warrant for his arrest on charges of sedition was issued, but he was taken from Ballarat by his supporters and hid in the Young Queen Hotel in South Geelong.
Introduction of gold licence
To raise funds, but also to discourage the flood of people moving to the diggings, New South Wales Governor Charles Fitzroy and Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe of Victoria, imposed a 30-shilling a month licence fee on miners. This was a substantial sum for most miners.
The Aboriginal Flag is now freely available for public use after the Morrison Government completed negotiations with Harold Thomas. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Aboriginal Flag copyright has been transferred to the Commonwealth.
In a deal worth more than 20 million Australian dollars ($14 million), Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government secured the rights from Indigenous artist Harold Thomas, who created the flag over 50 years ago.
Free issue of Australian flags
The Australian National Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag can be obtained free of charge by contacting the electorate office of your local Senator or Member of the House of Representatives.
Gwoya Tjungurrayi is a figure whose legacy reaches far beyond his life in the Australian Outback. Born around 1895 in the Tanami Desert, Tjungurrayi was a Warlpiri-Anmatyerre man who became an enduring symbol of Indigenous Australian culture, most notably immortalised on the Australian $2 coin.
On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet of British ships arrived at Sydney Cove (Warrane) in Australia, raising the Union Jack to establish the first British penal colony, marking the beginning of formal British colonization and a profound, often traumatic, change for the Aboriginal peoples who lived there. This event, initially celebrated as "Foundation Day," is now recognized as Australia Day, a date viewed with deep pain by many Indigenous Australians as "Invasion Day" or "Survival Day" due to the subsequent dispossession and conflict it initiated.
Others enlisted for the same reasons as non-indigenous Australians such as to see the world while receiving good pay (the pay was the same for Indigenous and non-indigenous soldiers).
The Eureka Flag
The flag was known to the Eureka rebels as the Australian Flag, though it is recorded in the Gallery's collection as 'The Flag of the Southern Cross'. It was first raised at a Ballarat Reform League meeting on the 29 November 1854 at Bakery Hill and then at the Eureka Stockade.
Flag-desecration is allowed in Australia, but this doesn't override other laws. You might be charged with destruction of property or public-safety offences if your actions cause fire danger or "concern, fright, and anger". No matter where you go, think twice before attacking any nation's symbol of pride.
The oldest continuously used national flag is that of Denmark. The current design of a white Scandinavian cross on a red background was adopted in 1625 and its square shape in 1748. In Denmark it is known as the “Dannebrog" or "Danish cloth”.
The Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme provided ex-gratia payments to Stolen Generations survivors. The reparations aimed to acknowledge historical injustices faced by Stolen Generations survivors. The amount provided to each recipient was $75,000.
Flag precedence
The Australian National Flag takes precedence over all flags when flown in Australia or an Australian territory. It should not be flown in an inferior position to any other flag with the exception of the United Nations Flag on United Nations Day.
Native Title — which can include both exclusive and shared rights — covers about 40 per cent of Australia. However, it is not the same as full private ownership and can coexist with other rights, such as pastoral leases. In some cases, different Aboriginal groups can exercise Native Title rights over the same area.
Copyright in the Aboriginal Flag Acquired by the Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth of Australia has acquired copyright in the iconic Aboriginal Flag, which is now freely available for use by the public.
A memo from the Prime Minister's Department dated 6 March 1939 states that: "the Red Ensign is the flag to be flown by the public generally" and the federal government policy was "The flying of the Commonwealth Blue Ensign is reserved for Commonwealth Government use but there is no reservation in the case of the ...
The seven-pointed star on the Australian flag, called the Commonwealth Star, symbolizes the federation of Australia: six points represent the original six states, and the seventh point, added in 1908, signifies Australia's territories (like the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory) and future territories, uniting them into the Commonwealth.
Introduction. In December 2024, the debate on metallic mining in El Salvador took a significant turn. President Nayib Bukele, through a series of posts on Twitter, claimed that the country has gold reserves valued at $3 trillion.
Yes, in most Australian states, you can generally keep gold you find, especially as a hobbyist on {!nav}Crown land, but you typically need a Miner's Right or prospecting permit, and rules vary by state, with Tasmania having stricter laws where gold may remain Crown property. The key is proper licensing, respecting land ownership, using hand tools (no explosives/heavy machinery), and distinguishing between hobby finds (often tax-free) and commercial mining.
If you invested $1,000 in gold 10 years ago (around late 2015/early 2016), your investment would likely be worth significantly more today (late 2025), potentially in the range of $2,000 to over $3,000, reflecting substantial price appreciation, though less than the S&P 500 but outperforming during certain periods of market stress, acting as a hedge against uncertainty, with returns varying based on exact entry/exit points and premiums/spreads.