A flag is born

The inspiration for the All Australian Flag came from a renewed love Australia after I returned from a two year voyage around the globe.

A seed for the idea came in a flash, in April 1995, but the flag developed later, over a two year period, with the help of suggestions from other people.

HISTORY INSPIRES THE FUTURE
Originally dubbed ‘A Flag for All’, it was launched in Sydney Cove aboard the sailing ship, Bounty in April 1996. It then proceeded to fly past Prime Minister John Howard’s Kirribilli residence several times a day for four years, and has also flown from the Australian tall ships Golden Plover, Providence V, Loyalty, Our Svanen, Lady Nelson, One and All, Lady Nelson, Windeward Bound and Eye of the Wind. 

These ships carried the flag along the coast from New South Wales to Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Eye of the Wind carried it to other parts of Australia: the Northern Territory, Christmas Island and Cocos Islands.

The significance of having the flag fly from these historic tall ships is that it honours the traditions of how Australia’s first flags arrived here, while heralding a new beginning; the opportunity to make a fresh start that is inclusive of all Australians.

RISE OF THE SUN AND STARS
The principal idea was to combine the
Southern Cross from Australia’s first ensign
of 1824 with “the life giving force of the sun”
on the Aboriginal flag. Other Australian
emblems influenced its development,
such as the Eureka flag and the rising sun
badge, worn on the slouch hat of our
'diggers' since 1902.

It was my brother, Peter’s idea to depict
the Southern Cross in its natural form
(as it is seen when rising), and other
people influenced further refinements.

 

THE FLAG ASHORE
With the support of friends, family and new acquaintances, it was soon being hoisted ashore in numerous places around the country. Amongst many supportive comments, singer/songwriter John Dengate remarked, when he saw it flying in Jamberoo,

“I’ve spent twenty years trying to design the new Australian flag, but this is it, mate, you’ve done it!”

The flag was also raised in Ballarat, Fitzroy, Ryde, Strathfield, Canberra, and various places around Sydney. A five metre long flag made its way across the continent on the back of a motorbike to Western Australia, where it was raised above the historic Roundhouse Tower in Fremantle.

The Australian-owned sailing ship Eye of the Wind flew it proudly during her two year voyage around the globe, and the flag was paraded through the streets of Glasgow to represent her Australian crew at the culmination of a tall ships race from France to Scotland. Meanwhile, it could be seen flying from The Australian Hotel in The Rocks by every south-bound commuter across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE
On 24 January 2000 a daring supporter of the flag scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge and shimmied up the 15 metre flag pole to fly it from the top; 150 metres above the harbour. This event was reported on Macquarie National News and in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

THE THIRD MILLENIUM
As we entered the 21st Century, I felt I was no longer in step with the direction Australia was heading. A new flag seemed not to be appropriate, so ‘A Flag for All’ was put away, and I turned my attention to other things (although many people continued to fly it). By the turn of the century thirty-six flags had been made and distributed, including two 3 x 5 metre flags for the Roundhouse Tower and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

NEW BEGINNING
In early 2008 I returned to Australia after working aboard the tall ship Soren Larsen in the South Pacific. I arrived here with the sense of a renewed optimism for Australia’s future, and decided to take up the banner again, beginning with the raising of the flag at a wedding in the remote opal mining town of Cumborah, NSW, and renaming the project the All Australian Flag.

Despite our activities, and the ever growing support for the flag, there are still many Australians who have not yet seen it. I am always interested to hear from people with interesting ideas and the will to support this project. If you would like to be part of this next chapter in the flag’s history, I look forward to hearing from you.

James Parbery
June 2008