New South Wales, 1801
When in 1801 an Act of Union made Ireland a co-equal member of the United Kingdom, the Irish St. Andrew's Cross (a red saltire on a white background) was added to the Union Flag, but in such a way that the existing symbols were not obliterated. The flag was adopted 1 January 1801 and as a result this became the flag in the Crown Colony of New South Wales as well. It remained Australia's flag even after Federation in 1901 until 1954, typical of the time when most Australians, using the word “home”, meant the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.