The Emu

The Emu that support the shield are the unofficial animal emblems of Australia.  Australia's first national coat of arms was granted in 1908 and displayed the emu and kangaroo supporting the shield, and standing on a grassy mound. The second coat of arms, made in 1912, included the symbols of the states woven together in the central shield with a border symbolizing federation.

Australia itself was represented by the shield's supporters, the emu to the right and the kangaroo to the left. It was the first time, so far as is known, that these two supports, now so familiar on the Australian Arms, were ever used in this way.  Wattle, the official national floral emblem, though the representation of the species is not botanically accurate. The supporters are native Australian animals, the emu and the red kangaroo. It is thought the emu and kangaroo were chosen to symbolise a nation moving forward, reflecting a common belief that neither animal can move backwards easily. It is often claimed these animals were chosen because neither animal can move backward, only forward – i.e.  progress of the nation.

They owe this recognition to the fact that they are native Australian fauna, (found only on that continent), and likely chosen because they are the most well-known native Australian animals large enough to be positioned together in scale holding up the shield. The first official coat of arms of Australia was granted by a Royal Warrant of King Edward VII. This coat of arms was used on some Australian coins even after it was superseded in 1912, and last appeared on the sixpenny piece in 1966.

On nineteen of the thirty-three gorgets in the National Museum of Australia's collections are depicted an emu and a kangaroo acting as supporters to the central inscription.  With the waratah, these two creatures became the earliest icons or 'symbols' of Australia used by European colonists. The emu and kangaroo appeared as supporters on 'the first flag designed and made in Australia.

The Emu is Australia's largest native bird and the second largest bird in the world after the Ostrich. The word Emu comes from the Portuguese word ‘ema' which means large bird. The Emu grows to be about 185 centimetres (6 feet) tall and weighs 65 kilograms (140 pounds). This is bigger than many adult humans! The Emu belongs to a group of flightless running birds with flat breastbones known as ratites.  The Emus have been walking the plains of Australia in something reasonably close to their present form for about 80 million years. The Emu was around when the dinosaurs still walked the plains. They knew Australia when it was covered in rainforest. They saw the McDonald Ranges when they were the height of the Himalayas.
Places of Interest : Taronza Zoo, Blue Mountains, Museum of Sydney, Centrepoint Tower, Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Centennil park, Lamington National Park, Fitzroy, Bondi Beach, Warner Bros Movie World, The Great Barrier Reef, Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise, Dream World, Sea World and many more.  Australia a prefect destination for all, find out more:
http://www.emurun.com.au/ ;
 http://www.visitaustralia.com/ ;
 http://www.lawandtourism.com/ and
http://www.adventuretours.com.au/ .