The Flag of the City of Sydney
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Coat of Arms | Sydney's Official Flower | Symbols of the City | The Flag of the City of Sydney
The flag of the City of Sydney is flown from Sydney Town Hall. The design incorporates features from the Coat of Arms for the City of Sydney which was granted by the British College of Heralds in 1908.
The flag is a horizontal triband of three colours, white, gold and blue. The top third features three armorial designs. In the top left, the arms are those of Thomas Townshend, Viscount Sydney after whom the City was named. His inclusion recognises the important role he played as Principal Under-Secretary of State in the English government in 1788, the year of the City's foundation.
The Naval Flag of England in the centre acknowledges the contribution of Captain Arthur Philip in the foundation of Sydney. The red cross is overlaid with a globe and two stars, the principal features of Captain James Cook's Arms which were granted as a posthumous honour for his service in the discovery of Australia, whilst commissioned as a naval officer.
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Thomas Townsend, Viscount Sydney |
The Arms in the top right are those of the first Lord Mayor of Sydney, the Hon Thomas Hughes, M.L.C. It was during his term of office that the title of Mayor became Lord Mayor, and the official Coat of Arms for the city was granted.
The remaining field of the flag is subdivided into gold and blue thirds overlaid with a sailing ship under full sail, an allusion to the prominence of Sydney as a maritime port.
