Design
The shield is the focal point of the coat of arms, contained within is the badge of each Australian state:
| State | Badge | Description |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | the cross of St. George with lion and stars | |
| Victoria | an Imperial Crown and Southern Cross | |
| Queensland | a blue Maltese Cross and Crown | |
| South Australia | the Australian piping shrike | |
| Western Australia | a black swan | |
| Tasmania | a red walking lion |
In the top half, from left to right, the states represented are: New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. In the bottom half, from left to right: South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. Above the shield is the seven-pointed Commonwealth Star or Star of Federation above a blue and gold wreath, forming the crest. Six of the points on the star represent the original six states, while the seventh point represents the combined territories and any future states of Australia. In its entirety the shield represents the federation of Australia.
The Red Kangaroo and Emu that support the shield are the unofficial animal emblems of the nation. They owe this recognition to the fact that they are native Australian fauna, (found only on that continent), and likely chosen because they are the most well-known native Australian animals large enough to be positioned together in scale holding up the shield. It is often claimed these animals were chosen because neither animal can move backward, only forward - i.e. progress. In reality both animals can move backwards, but infrequently do. In the background is wreath of Golden Wattle, the official national floral emblem, though the representation of the species is not botanically accurate. At the bottom of the coat of arms is a scroll that contains the name of the nation. Neither the wreath of wattle nor the scroll are technically part of the official design described on the Royal Warrant that grants the armorial design.
Read more about this topic: Coat Of Arms Of Australia
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
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