Last modified: 2001-02-03 by jonathan dixon
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![[Australasian Olympic Flag]](../images/o/oly@nzau.gif)
by Juan Manuel Gabino
See also:
At http://www.australian.olympic.org.au/games/austat.htm, it says:
" During two Olympics, in 1908 and 1912, Australia competed with New Zealand under the banner of Australasia. "
Jean-Loup, 22 September 2000
I drew this flag from a T.V. series called "The Olympic Games of the Modern Era: Athens 1896", broadcasted by "Once TV".
The flag correspons to Australia and/or Australasia. It features the Union Jack and a blue shield -over a white circle- in the fly with the
Southern Croos, crowned by the "Tudor" crown.
As far as I know the Tudor crown came into use from 1902 until 1953. Then,
the flag may correspond exclusively for "Australasia" (1908-19012). But
according to the TV series it was also used 1896-1900. [editor - this was before Australia had its own flag]
Juan Manuel Gabino Villascan, 22 September 2000
The flag generally corresponds to the purported colonial badge for the
governor of the colony of Victoria in 1877. This badge (with its shield)
was proposed by the British Admiralty and reproduced in some early flag
publications and cigarrette cards, but was never actually used in Victoria.
The Southern Cross surmounted with a Crown applied directly to the field of
the blue ensign was the correct method of applying the Victorian colonial
badge to the ensign (i.e. as it is today). The original shape of the crown
was an "Imperial Crown" and this was changed to a "Tudor Crown" (as drawn in
the attachment) in 1901.
I am interested in the source of this claim that this Victorian flag was
used by the combined Australia/New Zealand team. It is certainly possible,
given the casual attitude to flags in the early years, though this report is
the first occasion that I have seen any attempt to describe the flag used
for the Olympic athletes. To the extent that I had thought about the
matter, I had assumed that the team used the British Union Jack. Is it
clear that the documentary is citing a contemporary source, or could it be
that the producer has simply used an "old" flag design?
Ralph Kelly, 23 September 2000
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