Last modified: 2015-06-27 by ian macdonald
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image by Valentin Poposki, 27 June 2012
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Alice Springs is the largest settlement in Central Australia, established as
a station on the telegraph line in the 1870s. It was made a municipality in
1971.
The flag (seen in the photo sent, and on the council's home page)
is white with a yellow border, with the council's arms. The "crest" is
described at
http://www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/alice-springs-town-council/council-crest.
The shield is quartered with a white border and a red heart in the centre,
representing the town as the "Red Heart of the Centre of Australia". In the
first quarter is a camel proper against a field of earth and sky, referring to
Afghan camel trains as the main means of transport in earlier times. The second
quarter shows Mt Gillen, representing the location. The third quarter shows the
overland telegraph line in black on white, and the fourth represents the
importance of Aboriginal culture with a brown Aboriginal picture of a
waterhole/meeting place.
The (actual heraldic) crest is a rising sun,
described as representing Alice's place in the sun and consistent with its
status as a leading solar city. The supports are a horse and a bull, both
rampant. They stand on a compartment of Sturt's Desert Rose, the territory's
floral emblem. The motto "IN MEDIA STAT VIRTUS" is translated as "In the Centre
Stands Strength", and the name "ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL" is also included on
a ribbon above the arms.
Council history on their website
http://www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/page/print/id/council-history-5 mentions
the adoption of a flag in 1985/6, a slightly modified design by Trevor Jellis,
and before that in 1978/9 approval for a monetary prize for a competition to
design arms.
Jonathan Dixon, 9 August 2012