The Queensland flag (1)

I have been made aware of the letter (July 25) querying why the Maltese Cross appears on the flag of Queensland.

As a former Australian High Commissioner to Malta and a Queensland native, born and bred, it is a matter which had intrigued me for a number of years.

As a result, on my return to Queensland after my posting to Malta, I made some inquiries with the Protocol Section of the Queensland Premier's Department and was advised that despite extensive research there is no definitive explanation as to why the Maltese Cross was included in the design.

However, the John Oxley Library, which is the state library of Queensland, website states that "while there have been many versions as to why the Maltese Cross was chosen, the most credible and most often cited is that Queensland's first Governor, George Bowen, had previously held the post of the Governor of Malta, and his wife, Lady Roma Diamantina Bowen, was of Maltese heritage. Lady Bowen was enormously popular with Queenslanders of the day, and lent her support to many charitable undertakings in the developing colony". I queried this explanation further at Parliament House, Queensland and was told that another explanation is that the cross on the flag may not be a Maltese Cross at all but could be a Victoria Cross. The explanation being that Queen Victoria, who instituted the Victoria Cross in 1856, may have asked that the Victoria Cross be included on the flag of the new state of Queensland, which was proclaimed in 1859. It is understood that Queensland was named for Queen Victoria and as the Victoria Cross bore her name, it was appropriate that it should appear on the flag. From my perspective I think the cross on the Queensland flag looks much more like a Maltese Cross than a Victoria Cross and I subscribe to the former explanation.

Whatever the explanation, as Queensland celebrates its 150th anniversary of statehood this year and, as a result, the flag is more in prominence than ever, it is wonderful to see the close ties between Malta and Australia perpetuated by the Maltese Cross on the Queensland flag.