State flags, emblems, and icons

Queen Victoria granted the Queensland Coat of Arms, the oldest State Arms in Australia, to the Colony of Queensland in 1893. The Coat of Arms symbolises the Queen's constitutional authority in the state. They were the first Arms assigned to a British colony since Charles II granted Jamaica its Arms in 1661.

The Queensland flag features two components: the Union Jack in the upper left corner and the Maltese Cross, with a superimposed Royal Crown. The state flag was first introduced in 1876 when Queensland was a self-governing British colony with its own navy.

The badge of Queensland developed from the need to include a seal or badge in the design of the state flag. In 1893, the badge was incorporated in to the Queensland Coat of Arms.

The koala was officially named the animal (faunal) emblem of Queensland in 1971, after a newspaper poll showed strong public support for this endearing marsupial. The Queensland Government introduced the poll due to a proposal by state tourism ministers for all states to adopt a faunal emblem.

The Cooktown orchid became known as Queensland's floral emblem in 1959, during celebrations to mark the state's centenary.

The brolga has featured on the Queensland Coat of Arms since 1977. It wasn't until January 1986 that it was announced as the official bird emblem of Queensland.

The sapphire was named the official state gem for Queensland in August 1985. The sapphire gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, was originally discovered in central Queensland in the early 1870s. It continues to be found in the central and northern parts of the state.

The Barrier Reef Anemone Fish was officially named as Queensland's aquatic emblem in March 2005. The public nominated the species as their preferred representative for Queensland.

The Queensland Government corporate logo is made up of a distinctive name style for each department or agency, used in conjunction with the symbol pictured. Launched in April 2000, it allows all government services to be readily identifiable. It is suitable for use in all print and digital environments.

On 13 November 2003 the Governor in Council officially named maroon as Queensland's state colour. This announcement was made as a result of a long-held, but informal, tradition of using maroon to represent Queensland.

The Muttaburrasaurus langdoni was officially recognised as Queensland’s fossil emblem in December 2023. It was voted on by the people of Queensland.