Australian red ensign
| Use | Civil ensign |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | 11 February 1903 in use from 3 September 1901 23 February 1908 (current seven-pointed Commonwealth Star version) |
| Design | A red ensign with the Commonwealth/Federation Star at the hoist, and the Southern Cross in the fly half |
The Australian red ensign is the civil ensign of Australia, the flag of nationality flown by Australian registered ships. It is a red version of the national flag, which is mainly blue. Both flags resulted from the Commonwealth Government's 1901 Federal Flag Design Competition which required two entries: an ensign for Commonwealth Government use and another for the merchant navy. The winning design for the merchant ensign was based on the traditional British red ensign and featured the Southern Cross and Commonwealth Star.