Oceania · Union Jack canton
How to draw the flag of Australia
The flag of Australia is a Union Jack in the canton over a plain field in blue, white and red, with Commonwealth Star and Southern Cross. It flies at a ratio of 1:2.
Step by step
- Start with the right shape. Australia flies at 1:2 — for every 2 units of width the flag is 1 tall. Sketch that rectangle first; a flag drawn too square is the fastest way to lose layout points.
- Block in the background. Fill the whole flag with blue first, then build the rest on top of it. Working from the largest area to the smallest keeps the proportions honest.
- Add the white and red. A Union Jack in the canton over a plain field. Place these shapes by eye against the edges of the flag, not against each other.
- Finish with the union jack, Commonwealth Star and Southern Cross. Detail is the last ten percent of the score, so leave it until the colour blocks are down. Size and position count for more than drawing every line of it.
Australia flag colours
The colour codes below are the ones to reach for if you are recreating the flag digitally.
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | #012169 | rgb(1, 33, 105) |
| White | #FFFFFF | rgb(255, 255, 255) |
| Red | #E4002B | rgb(228, 0, 43) |
What the flag means
The Union Jack records the British origin, the large Commonwealth Star has seven points for the states and territories, and the Southern Cross fixes the flag to the southern sky.
Common mistakes
- Confusing it with New Zealand. Australia has six stars — a big seven-pointed one under the canton and five in the Southern Cross, four of them seven-pointed and one small five-pointed.
- Watch out for New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Tuvalu — they are close enough to Australia that people draw the wrong one from memory.
A trick for remembering it
Australia has more stars and they are white; New Zealand has four red stars only.
Flags that look like this one
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairs people mix up:
Questions about the Australia flag
What colours are on the flag of Australia?
Australia uses 3 colours: blue (#012169), white (#FFFFFF), red (#E4002B).
What are the proportions of the Australia flag?
It flies at 1:2 (height to width). Drawing it at the wrong shape is one of the quickest ways to lose layout marks in the game.
What does the Australia flag mean?
The Union Jack records the British origin, the large Commonwealth Star has seven points for the states and territories, and the Southern Cross fixes the flag to the southern sky.
Which flags look like the Australia flag?
New Zealand, United Kingdom, Tuvalu. Watch out for New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Tuvalu — they are close enough to Australia that people draw the wrong one from memory.
How hard is the Australia flag to draw from memory?
PlayVexle rates it 4 out of 5. There is detailed artwork in the middle, which is worth only 10% of the score — get the colour blocks right first.
