City of Melbourne flag celebrating whaling set to endure

An appeal for the redesign of the little-known flag of Melbourne has met with disinterest from the council, with Lord Mayor Nick Reece linking the issue to a future Australian republic.

The flag features an English cross of St George, a crown and symbols of the four key sectors of the city’s economy in 1843 when the common seal it was adopted from was approved: wool, cattle, shipping and whaling.

It is flown at Town Hall and previously, when there was one, on the mayoral car.

It can also be seen atop the mast of the replica 19th century tall ship Enterprize and at Enterprize Park on the north bank of the Yarra every August 30, when it is raised to commemorate Melbourne Day.

In a public question during a recent Future of Melbourne Committee meeting Henry Robinson “respectfully urge[d] the council to consider redesigning the flag”.

“Our current flag is largely invisible in practice, illegible at small sizes, difficult to reproduce and unknown to most Melburnians,” he said.

Forner Lord Mayor Sally Capp had raised the prospect of a redesign in 2022, Mr Robinson said, requesting a public consultation on the question be held.

In response, Lord Mayor Nick Reece, speaking as representative of the finance, governance and risk portfolio, described himself as “a very proud republican” who looked forward to “the day when Australia cuts the apron strings to Britain and we stand on our own two feet as an independent nation – still of course proud of our heritage and connected to the Commonwealth”.

The Lord Mayor noted that the Melbourne flag featured “a bullock, a sheep, a whale and a ship and of course a huge crown right in the middle,” and that it would surely be updated at some point – “perhaps at the same time as Australia’s national flag is updated”.

Cr Reece enthusiastically recommended the City of Melbourne “M” logo as a modern, well-designed symbol of the city, which he wore on a badge.

“Whenever I travel, I often have other mayors remark how much they love our city logo, and if it’s been a good meeting I will sometimes gift them my badge,” he said.

The council didn’t see a need currently to review or redesign the city’s flag, he said, and no further action would be taken at this time. •