Australia’s Flag Is Turning 124: Here’s the Forgotten Story Behind the National Symbol

Allan Pidgeon, chair of the Australian National Flag Association, says young citizens appreciate the flag’s enduring significance.

The flag raising ceremony at Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, Australia, on Jan. 26, 2020. Rohan Thomson/Getty Images

As iconic as koalas and kangaroos, the Australian flag waves above each day—yet behind its stars and stripes lies a story few individuals know.

For those who want to learn more and feel like expressing their inner patriotism, one Australian group is working hard to remind citizens to commemorate the 124th birthday of the flag on Australian National Flag Day on Sept. 3—the day the symbol was first flown in 1901.