The National Colonial Flag for Australia (1823/24) was the forerunner of the many Australian flag designs which featured the Southern Cross and Union Flag in combination. Crux, being Latin for cross, commonly known as the Southern Cross (in contrast to the Northern Cross), is the smallest of the 88 modern constellations, but also one of the most famous. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 The Union Flag or Union Jack is the flag most commonly associated with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and was also used throughout the former British Empire. ...

National Colonial Flag for Australia

It is the first recorded attempt to design a distinctive national flag for Australia. Designed by Captain John Bingle and Captain John Nicholson, both New South Wales residents, it is inspired by the White Ensign of the Royal Navy, the protector and defender of Australia from 1788 to 1913. The large red cross of St George features four white, eight pointed stars representing the Australian Southern Cross. According to Captain Bingle it was adopted by the Government of Sir Thomas Brisbane. The National Colonial Flag was the first flag designed specifically to represent Australia. Image File history File links National Colonial Flag for Australia File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... The Blue Ensign. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... St Georges cross The St Georges cross, a red cross on a white background, is the national flag of England and has been since about 1277. ...

Illustrated Retrospect of Present Century - John Bingle (1881)

"Many years ago as far back as 1823 or 1824 I assisted Captain Nicholson RN, the first Harbour Master of Port Jackson, to plan and recommend to the Lords of the Admiralty a National Colonial Flag for Australia which met with their Lordships approval and adopted by the Government of Sir Thomas Brisbane. Our proposition had the British National St George's Ensign adding Four (4) Stars placed in the four quarters of the Cross in the fly of the Ensign as the emblem of our Hemisphere THE GREAT SOUTHERN CROSS. The flag has lately been disfigured by adding another star in the centre of the Cross by some one not comprehending the original intention and embodying American Nations. Sydney in those days was Australia! and no other province to represent so that adding more Stars frustrated the original intention."