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Source: http://www.australianflag.org.au/didyouknow_clip_image002.gif

AUSTRALIA’S FLAG  -  “DID YOU KNOW?”

• The Australian National Flag is the only flag to fly over an entire continent.

• The Australian Flag was the first national flag chosen in an open public competition.

• The prize for the design competition (£200) was a substantial sum of money in those days – representing four years’ wages for an average worker!

• Given that there were 32,823 entries in the design competition, and the ‘Australian’ population was estimated to be around 3.6 million in 1901; an equivalent response rate from today’s population would amount to over 199,000 entries!

• Arranging the 32,823 entries for display at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne took eight weeks, and it took the judges six days to inspect them all and choose the winning design.

• Entrants in the flag competition gave their imagination free rein:    designs submitted featured “every kind of flora and fauna identifiable with Australia – sometimes all at once” (eg a kangaroo with six tails to symbolise the six states; a galloping email heading south, and native animals playing cricket with a winged cricket ball !)

Article by http://www.australianflag.org.au/didyouknow.php

View online for John Else's Message: http://www.australianflag.org.au/flagday2009vid.php

Flag Day, 3rd September 2009 Program http://www.australianflag.org.au/flagday2009main.php

PS: 3 September annually is also Merchant Navy Day         and the Australian Red Ensign may be flown on land        for commemoration ceremonies. The Red Ensign also        dates from 3 September 1901, Public Flag Competition