Coat of arms of South Australia
Encyclopedia
The Coat of arms of South Australia is the official symbol of the state of South Australia
. It was granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
on 19 April 1984. They replaced a coat of arms granted to the State in 1936.
The shield has the Piping Shrike
within a golden disc (officially said to represent the rising sun) on a blue background. The Piping Shrike is the unofficial bird emblem of South Australia and also appears on the State Badge. The crest
is the Sturt's desert pea
, the floral emblem of South Australia, on top of a wreath of the State colours. The coat of arms has no supporters
. The compartment
, or base, is a grassland with symbols of agriculture and industry, and a motto with the name "South Australia".
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. It was granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on 19 April 1984. They replaced a coat of arms granted to the State in 1936.
The shield has the Piping Shrike
Piping Shrike
The Piping Shrike is the emblematic bird that appears on South Australia's flag, State Badge and Coat of Arms. The bird appears "displayed proper" with its wings outstretched and curved upwards...
within a golden disc (officially said to represent the rising sun) on a blue background. The Piping Shrike is the unofficial bird emblem of South Australia and also appears on the State Badge. The crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
is the Sturt's desert pea
Sturt's desert pea
Swainsona formosa, Sturt's Desert Pea, is an Australian plant in the genus Swainsona, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson, famous for its distinctive blood-red leaf-like flowers, each with a bulbous black centre, or "boss". It is one of Australia's best known wildflowers...
, the floral emblem of South Australia, on top of a wreath of the State colours. The coat of arms has no supporters
Supporters
In heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. These figures may be real or imaginary animals, human figures, and in rare cases plants or inanimate objects...
. The compartment
Compartment
In heraldry, a compartment is a design placed under the shield, usually rocks, a grassy mount , or some sort of other landscape upon which the supporters are depicted as standing...
, or base, is a grassland with symbols of agriculture and industry, and a motto with the name "South Australia".