Flag of Queensland
From Freepedia
The current state flag of Queensland was officially adopted in 1953.
The flag is based on a defaced British Blue Ensign with the state badge located in the fly. The badge is a white disc with a light blue Maltese Cross in the centre of the disc. In the centre of the cross is a St Edwards Crown.
The original badge was designed by William Hemmant the Colonial Secretary and Treasurer of Queensland in 1876. As with the Victorian flag the design of the Royal Crown in the badge is changed whenever there is a change in monarch. The last change occurred in 1953 with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 when she chose the St Edwards Crown.
Previous Flags
The first flag of Queensland was adopted in 1870. It too was a defaced British Blue Ensign with a portrait profile of Queen Victoria on a blue disc, surrounded by a white annilus on which the word "Queensland" appears in gold at the top of the annilus in the fly.
Queensland then adopted a second flag in 1876 and is almost identical to the current flag of Queensland. The only differences was that the crown was the Imperial Crown worn by Queen Victoria and the colour of the Maltese Cross was blue. This design replaced the old flag because the previous design proved difficult to reproduce on large flags, which led to the adoption of the new colonial badge.
Queensland then adopted a third flag c. 1901 and was almost identical to both the current and previous flags of Queensland. The only differences was that the crown was the Tudor Crown worn by Kings Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and George VI, and within this period the colour of the Maltese Cross changed from blue to the current light blue.
