FLAG MOTIF · 02
Australia and New Zealand: The Southern Cross on Their Flags
Both flags show the Southern Cross. Do they look the same?
Look closely at the number, colours and shapes of the stars.
LOOK · COUNT · REVEAL
How many differences can you find?
Study only the Southern Cross on the right side of each flag. Count before revealing the answer.
Counted them? Reveal the answers
Australia
5stars
White. Four 7-pointed stars and one small 5-pointed star.
New Zealand
4stars
Red with white borders. Four 5-pointed stars.
Five versus four in the Southern Cross
Australia's flag has six stars in total, but the large star below the Union Jack is the separate Commonwealth Star. Only the five on the right form the Southern Cross.
WHOLE FLAG
Which flag has another large star?
Australia
Union Jack · Commonwealth Star · Southern Cross (5 stars)
The Commonwealth Star now has seven points, relating to the six states and the territories.
New Zealand
Union Jack · Southern Cross (4 stars)
The Southern Cross stars are red, bordered in white, and all have five points.
SKY · PLACE
Why is the Southern Cross on both flags?
The Southern Cross is easy to see in the night skies of the Southern Hemisphere, according to the Australian government. New Zealand's Ministry for Culture and Heritage says the stars mark its place in the South Pacific. The two flags lead us from a familiar shape to the sky and to where these countries lie.
THEN · NOW
Did the stars always look this way?
Australia
First flown in 1901. The Southern Cross points were simplified in the official 1903 drawing. A seventh point was added to the Commonwealth Star in 1908.
New Zealand
The design dates to 1869. A 1902 Gazette notice specified the positions and sizes of the stars.
Explore each country
Which cross would you compare next?
After a cross made of stars, look at a cross made of lines. How do the Nordic crosses on Denmark's and Norway's flags differ?
PUBLIC SOURCES
Sources for the stars and history
Australia: PM&C's description of the Southern Cross, Commonwealth Star and design changes. New Zealand: Manatū Taonga's flag design, history and official comparison.