NT Coat of Arms

1 July 1978

The NT Coat of Arms incorporates the floral and faunal emblems of the Northern Territory: the Sturt's Desert Rose, the Red Kangaroo and Wedge-tailed Eagle. On the crest the eagle's wings are spread and its talons grasp an Aboriginal Tjurunga stone. Beneath the eagle is the plumed helmet of the warrior which signifies that the Northern Territory was an area of wartime battle. Two Red Kangaroos hold shells that are found on the northern coast of the Territory; the Chiragra Spider Conch and the True Heart Cockle. At the base of the crest is the Sturt's Desert Rose placed upon a grassy sandy mound. As well as acknowledging the geographically diverse aspects of the Northern Territory the crest also represents its indigenous population. The x-ray relief depiction of the female figure in the centre of the shield is derived from sacred rock art in Arnhem Land. The motifs on either side of the figure symbolise representations of campsites joined by path markings of the Central Australian Aborigines.

Document type: Graphic
Time period: Pre Legislative Assembly

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