Australia's Coat of Arms Features Animals That Cannot Walk Backward
Australia's national coat of arms prominently features a red kangaroo and an emu flanking a central shield. While chosen partly because they are uniquely Australian wildlife, they carry another symbolic meaning: neither animal can easily move backward. A kangaroo's massive tail and oversized feet make hopping in reverse nearly impossible, and an emu's joint anatomy prevents backward walking, representing a nation committed to always moving forward.
The Forward-Moving Supporters
The Commonwealth Coat of Arms serves as the formal emblem of the Commonwealth of Australia, representing sovereign authority and national identity. Flanking the central shield are two of the continent's most distinctive indigenous animals: a red kangaroo on the heraldic dexter (the viewer's left) and an emu on the sinister (the viewer's right). Beyond their obvious status as fauna unique to Australia, popular tradition holds that both animals were chosen because of a shared locomotion quirk: neither animal can easily move backward. In cultural heraldry, this physical limitation translates into a clear philosophical statement, symbolizing a young federation committed solely to moving forward and progressing.
While the official heraldic blazons issued by royal warrants focus on the animals as indigenous representatives of the Australian continent, the popular narrative of their inability to retreat has persisted for more than a century. The symbolism resonated strongly with a newly federated Commonwealth intent on forging a modern identity separate from older European imperial models. Whether an intentional design criteria from the outset or a meaningful narrative that arose alongside it, the idea of forward-only momentum became deeply rooted in how Australians interpret their national insignia.
Anatomical Explanations for the Forward Stride
The inability of the kangaroo and emu to move in reverse is a direct consequence of specialized evolutionary adaptations for traversing vast, arid terrains. In the red kangaroo, locomotion relies on large, muscular hind legs paired with an elongated, powerful tail. When moving quickly, the animal uses bipedal hopping powered by elastic tendons that store and release energy with remarkable efficiency. Because the large feet and tail act as a rigid tripod during slow, pentapedal movement, reversing step-by-step is physically unfeasible. Hopping backward would require an entirely different musculoskeletal geometry, making backward movement practically impossible.
The emu, a large flightless ratite, exhibits a similarly directional physiology. Possessing strong, three-toed feet and heavily muscled pelvic limbs, the emu is built for high-speed forward running across open grasslands and scrub. Its leg joints articulate in a manner optimized for forward propulsion, and its pelvic structure does not readily support the reciprocal leg action required to walk backward with stability. While an emu might stumble back a step if startled, it cannot march in reverse. In both species, evolutionary pressure stripped away redundant backward mobility in favor of unmatched forward efficiency.
Evolution of the National Arms: 1908 to 1912
The current coat of arms was not the first granted to Australia. Following the federation of the colonies in 1901, King Edward VII granted the initial Commonwealth Coat of Arms in 1908. This original composition featured a central white shield bearing a red St George's cross flanked by six small blazons representing the states on a blue border, supported by a kangaroo and an emu standing on a grassy mound. Beneath the shield ran a scroll bearing the national motto, 'Advance Australia'.
Despite its formal adoption, the 1908 design drew criticism from heraldic experts, politicians, and the public. Critics argued that the central shield did not adequately or individually represent the six federated states, and some found the overall composition visually cluttered or poorly balanced. In response, a comprehensive redesign was commissioned, resulting in a second royal warrant issued by King George V in 1912. This revision significantly altered the layout of the shield to directly showcase the individual badges of all six Australian states, creating the iconic arrangement recognized today.
The Six Quarters of the Central Shield
At the core of the 1912 design is an escutcheon divided into six quarters, surrounded by an ermine border that symbolizes the constitutional federation of the states. The top three quarters represent New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. New South Wales is depicted by a red St George's cross charged with a central golden lion and four eight-pointed gold stars. Victoria is denoted by the stars of the Southern Cross surmounted by an imperial crown. Queensland's badge features a light blue Maltese cross, also topped by an imperial crown.
The bottom three quarters represent South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. South Australia is displayed as an Australian piping shrike (the white-backed magpie) perched upon a staff of red and green. Western Australia is represented by its traditional black swan swimming upon a field of gold. Tasmania is represented by a red walking lion, known in heraldic terms as a lion passant. Together, these six historical colonial badges form an integrated whole, visually balancing regional identities inside a single federal emblem.
Crest, Wattle, and Heraldic Compartment
Perched above the shield is the crest: the seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, also called the Federation Star, resting upon a wreath of gold and blue. Six of the star's points represent the original six federating states, while the seventh point represents the internal and external territories of the Commonwealth. This seventh point was added in 1908 to the crest to accommodate Papua and future territories, formalizing the star's role as a unifying national symbol.
Surrounding the kangaroo, emu, and shield is an ornamental background of golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) in bloom, resting above a scroll bearing the single word 'AUSTRALIA'. Interestingly, while the golden wattle serves as Australia's official national floral emblem and is standard on official depictions, it is not formally part of the blazon granted in the 1912 royal warrant. Instead, it forms an artistic compartment and decorative framing that has been accepted through long-standing convention and official government practice.
Official Use and Cultural Significance
The Commonwealth Coat of Arms is protected under Australian law and its use is strictly regulated by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. It denotes Commonwealth authority and ownership, appearing on Australian passports, official government seals, federal court buildings, and parliamentary publications. It is also familiar to citizens in everyday life through its presence on the reverse side of the standard Australian fifty-cent coin, where the kangaroo and emu support the shield against an unadorned field.
Over the decades, the coat of arms has transcended its technical role as a bureaucratic seal to become an internationally recognized marker of Australian sovereignty. The distinctiveness of the indigenous supporters—chosen in contrast to the traditional European heraldic lions, unicorns, and eagles—cemented the emblem's character. Paired with the cultural narrative of animals that can only advance, the design reflects both the physical distinctiveness of the continent's ecosystem and the forward-looking aspirations of its political institutions.
Key takeaways
•The kangaroo and emu on Australia's coat of arms are anatomically constrained from moving backward easily, serving as a popular symbol of national progress.
•Australia's current coat of arms was granted by King George V in 1912, replacing an earlier 1908 design to explicitly feature the badges of all six federated states.
•The central shield is topped by a seven-pointed Federation Star representing the six original states plus the Commonwealth territories.
•The flowering golden wattle and the scroll reading 'AUSTRALIA' are traditional decorative elements rather than components of the formal 1912 heraldic blazon.