![[Governor of Victoria]](../images/a/au-vi_gv.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 27 Jan 2009
Last modified: 2018-03-03 by ian macdonald
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image by Martin Grieve, 27 Jan 2009
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In 1984 Victoria followed the example of most other States and replaced the Governor's Union Jack [see below]
with an ensign. Other States had differentiated between the State Flag and the Governor's
flag by adding a crown to the latter. Since Victoria's badge already had a crown the
difference was made by giving the ensign a gold field.
David Prothero, 28 January 2009
The State Governor of Victoria flies a personal flag similar to the State Flag only with a gold (yellow) field and the stars in red.
Ted Cummins, 25 February 1997
The new Governor's flag was announced by the following official press release:
Governor's Flagavailable on the website of the Governor of Victoria.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
18 APRIL 1984
His Excellency the Governor, Rear Admiral Sir Brian Murray, today announced that Her Majesty The Queen had graciously approved of a change in the Personal Standard of the Governor of Victoria. From this day, the Governor's Personal Standard will be the State Flag of Victoria with the blue of the flag being replaced by gold. The new Standard will be flown at Government House and on vehicles conveying the Governor. The old Standard used by all Victorian Governors has been, since 1870, the Union Jack with the Badge of the State emblazoned in the centre thereof.
The only states to not use the state flag with crown above the badge are Victoria and Queensland, which both already have a crown in the their badge.
Jonathan Dixon, 4 August 2004
It has been suggested that the inclusion of a yellow field in the Victorian
State Governor's Flag (adopted 18 April 1984) was "a private joke". This is
wrong. The golden-yellow field represents Victoria's gold rush past and its
promise for a golden future. The field's colour was chosen by the then State
Governor, Rear-Admiral Sir Brian Murray, and approved by Her Majesty, Queen
Elizabeth II. I have a copy of the official Government House Press Release in my
file about this flag.
Since then this flag is flown from the top of
Government House, in the Kings Domain Gardens, Melbourne, every day that the
Governor is in residence, and on the Governor's Car when travelling.
Ralph Bartlett, 21 February 2108
![[Admiralty drawing of supposed Governor's flag, 1870-1878]](../images/a/au-vi_g1.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 27 Jan 2009
26 March 1870. Viscount Canterbury acknowledged receipt of the Colonial Office circular introducing flags for governors and stated that the flag of the Governor of Victoria would be “the Union Jack with badge in centre emblazoned on coloured ground as stars are white.” This may mean that the stars were set directly on to the centre of the St George's cross, without any disc or garland, as had been done in an early proposal for the flag of the Governor of New South Wales.
The despatch was forwarded to the Admiralty who would not approve the proposed governor's badge as it was not on an escutcheon or circular shield, and was similar to that proposed for South Australia (also a Southern Cross but with the addition of the two 'pointers').
In May the Admiralty and Colonial Office agreed between themselves that the Southern Cross of Victoria should be on an escutcheon. However the despatch of 22 July, that approved the Blue and Red Ensigns, made no reference to the Governor's flag. It is not clear whether the Governor had a flag between 1870 and 1878, nor its appearance if he did.
The Admiralty thought that it was the Southern Cross on a blue shield, as shown in the
drawing of colonial badges annexed to an Admiralty letter to the Colonial Office of
28 July 1875 which was forwarded to Victoria in July 1876.
[Sources: National Archives (PRO) CO 309/93, CO 323/326, CO 325/54, and notes compiled by Ralph Kelly from Australian Joint Copying Project microfilms Nos. 2026 (CO 309/92), 2405 (CO 323/325-327) and 2408 (CO 323/329-331)]
David Prothero, 27 January 2009
![[Governor's flag, 1878-1903]](../images/a/au-vi_g2.gif)
image by martin Grieve, 27 Jan 2009
The design of the badge on the Governor's flag was settled in July 1877; the Southern
Cross on a blue shield surmounted by a crown. [see the equivalent blue ensign]
[Sources: National Archives (PRO) CO 323/330, CO 325/54, and notes compiled by Ralph Kelly from Australian Joint Copying Project microfilms No. 2408 (CO 323/329-331)]
David Prothero, 27 January 2009
![[Governor's flag, 1903-1984]](../images/a/au-vi_g3.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 27 Jan 2009
The badge on the Governor's flag was modified in 1903 to more
closely match the badge on the State Flag, by setting the crown, now Tudor, and stars
directly on to a blue disc.
[Sources: National Archives (PRO) CO 325/54]
David Prothero, 27 January 2009
