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First Ceremony of Saluting the Union FlagPrint Page Print this page

First Flag Ceremony Plaque
First Flag Ceremony Plaque

Photographs supplied by Peter F Williams

The flagpole, mounted on a sandstone plinth, commemorates the location where the first ceremony of the saluting of the English flag by Captain Arthur Phillip took place marking the foundation of Australia following the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. 

The Union Jack flag is the most common name for the flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack has been in existence since 1606, when England and Scotland merged. In 1606, the first Union Jack flag was created by merging the English flag (the red cross of Saint George) with the Scottish flag (the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew on a blue background). This was the flag used in the ceremony in 1788.  

In 1801, the addition of Ireland to the United Kingdom added the Irish flag to the flag (the red Saint Patrick's cross) which is the current design of the flag today. 

The plinth also contains a plaque unveiled on the 26th January 1988 to commemorate the bicentenary of the founding of the colony of New South Wales. 

Location

Address:Loftus Street, Opposite Jessie Street Gardens , Sydney, 2000
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -33.862183
Long: 151.210594
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Flagpole
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Settlement

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Thursday 26th January, 1967
Left Side Inscription

(Top Plaque)

THE FLAG FLOWN FROM THIS MAST
IS A REPLICA OF THE UNION FLAG WHICH WAS 
USED AT THE  FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA
JANUARY 26TH 1788

                                 +
See Plaque On Wall Of Customs House

(Bottom Plaque) 

         The Council Of The City Of Sydney 

This Flag Mast Was Erected To Commemorate The Location 
At Which The First Ceremony of Saluting The Flag By Captain 
Arthur Phillip R.N. And His Company Took Place To Mark 
The Foundation Of Australia On 26th January 1788 

The Location Was Determined By A Committee of Enquiry Comprising

The Chief Justice of The Supreme Court Of N.S.W. 
               The Hon.L.J.Herron C.M.G.

         The Surveyor General of N.S.W. 
                   Mr C Elphinstone

                     Mr J.W. Forsyth

                The Director Of Parks 
          Mr C.S.Garth. A.R.A.I.A. M.A.P.I.

 And Appointed By The Council of The City Of Sydney 
At A Meeting Held On The 5th August 1963

J.H.Luscombe                                      John Armstrong
Town Clerk                                             Lord Mayor

                     26th January 1967

 

Right Side Inscription

         THIS PLAQUE WAS UNVEILED BY 
HIS EXCELLENCY AIR MARSHALL SIR JAMES ROWLAND 
           A.C., K.B.E., D.F.C., A,F,C.,
GOVERNOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES 
                             ON 
                 26TH JANUARY, 1988 
TO COMMEMORATE THE BICENTENARY OF THE FOUNDING 
OF THE COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Hon.B.J.Unsworth                         Sir Eric Neal, Chief Commissioner
Premier of New South Wales        Council Of The City Of Sydney

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au