COAT OF ARMS OF TASMANIA King George V granted Tasmania its Coat of Arms in 1917, which was later proclaimed in 1919. The central shield in Tasmania’s Coat of Arms is supported by 2 Tasmanian tigers or thylacines. These carnivorous marsupials were regularly represented in First Nations Australians rock art and Dreaming Stories. Sadly, they are now believed to have been extinct since 1936 when it was documented that the last known living thylacine died in Hobart Zoo. Unconfirmed sightings have been regularly reported in the decades since. Within the shield are a branch of hops, a plant whose cones are used for beer‑making; a sheaf of wheat (Tasmania was the breadbasket of Australia’s early colonies) representing agriculture; a ram illustrating the wool industry; and apples for the then “Apple Isle”. A thunderbolt refers to Tasmania’s hydro‑electric power system. On the crest, the red lion holds a pick and shovel to represent the state’s mining industry.
Motto on Arms
Tasmania’s motto is
Ubertas et fidelitas:
“Fruitfulness and faithfulness”~
22 December 2024
