Eureka Flag
Flown at the Eureka Stockade; symbol of protest since 1854.
The Eureka Flag is a historical flag flown at the Battle of the Eureka Stockade on 3 December 1854 at Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. It became a symbol of protest by gold miners against the cost of mining permits and the enforcement system of the colonial authorities during the Eureka Rebellion from 1851 to 1854.
- field
- Prussian blue, 260 by 400 cm, fine woollen fabric
- cross_arms
- Horizontal 37 cm wide, vertical 36 cm tall
- stars
- Central star 65 cm point-to-point, others 60 cm; white fine cotton lawn
- cross
- Off-white cotton twill
- proportion
- 13:20
- known_for
- Symbol of protest, Australian republic, trade union movements, far-right Australia First Party logo
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- The Flag of the Southern Cross
- Use
- Symbol of Australian democracy and worker's rights. Has also been used by the Australian republican movement and far-right groups.
- Proportion
- 13:20
- Adoption
- 1854 (by the Eureka Rebels) / (Never officially adopted)
- Design
- 5 white eight-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross on a Prussian blue background, connected by a shape similar to a St George's Cross
- Designer
- Henry Charles Ross
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Eureka Flag was flown at the Battle of the Eureka Stockade on 3 December 1854 at Ballarat on Bakers Hill, culminating the Eureka Rebellion. An estimated crowd of over 10,000 demonstrators swore allegiance to it on 29 November 1854 at Bakery Hill. The battle resulted in at least 27 deaths, around 120 miners arrested, and many wounded including five soldiers. The flag's field is Prussian blue, 260 by 400 cm, made from fine woollen fabric. The horizontal arm of the cross is 37 cm wide, the vertical 36 cm tall. The central star is about 65 cm point-to-point, 8.5% larger than the others at 60 cm. The white stars are fine cotton lawn, the off-white cross is cotton twill. There are also other Eureka Flag variants.
Reader's Guide
Since the 19th century, the Eureka Flag has achieved customary use as a general-purpose symbol of protest. It has been adopted by supporters of the Australian republic and trade union movements, and also incorporated into the official logo of the far-right Australia First Party, often seen on bumper stickers with white nationalist slogans. Efforts around the 150th anniversary in 2004 by Ballarat MP Catherine King sought legal standing under the Flags Act to reserve it for progressive causes. The flag is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and designated a Victorian icon by the National Trust of Australia in 2006. The 'King' fragments are part of the Art Gallery of Ballarat collection, on long-term loan since 2013 to the interpretative centre at the Eureka Stockade Memorial Park. Other authenticated fragments have been exhibited and sold at auction. The disputed first report of the attack also refers to a Union Jack flown during the battle, captured along with the Eureka Flag by foot police.
Did You Know?
- The Eureka Flag was flown at the Battle of the Eureka Stockade on 3 December 1854 at Ballarat, Victoria.
- An estimated crowd of over 10,000 demonstrators swore allegiance to the flag on 29 November 1854 at Bakery Hill.
- The flag's central star is 8.5% larger than the other four stars.
- The fragments of the original Eureka Flag are permanently held by the Art Gallery of Ballarat since 2001.
More in Australian folklore 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record