Selkirk Family Gallery – The Eureka Flag

The Eureka Flag, with its bold design of white on blue based on the constellation of the Southern Cross, was first flown in Ballarat during the 1854 Eureka Stockade, Australia's only civil armed uprising. when the diggers made a concerted effort to resist the despotic and corrupt local arm of the Colonial Government.

The family of Trooper John King, who cut down the flag at the Stockade, lent the flag to the Gallery in 1895 and formally gifted it in 2001. It is displayed at low light levels to prevent further deterioration of the fabric. Visitors are asked to allow their eyesight to become adjusted after entering the viewing room.

This room also displays a range of other Eureka-related images and memorabilia.

The Selkirks are a Ballarat family, proprietors of Selkirk Bricks and Pavers, a generous supporter of a number of Ballarat institutions and charities.