30 Years of the Torres Strait Islander Flag
By AG | Wednesday, 2 July 2025
2025 marks 30 years since the Torres Strait Islander Flag was proclaimed an official flag of Australia. To honour the occasion, the Mint presented two $2 coins that pay tribute to the Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Designed by Royal Australian Mint coin designer Elyssa Waterford, the reverse shows the Torres Strait Islander flag displayed alongside the Australian flag to acknowledge the history and diverse cultures of Australia’s First Nation’s peoples.
At the heart of the design of are the Dhari and five-pointed star, emblems of cultural significance that reflect their central place on the flag. Surrounding them is a circular colour print, with each segment representing the flag’s key colours: green for the land, blue for the sea, and black for the Torres Strait Islander people. Two white stripes encase the Dhari and star.
Beneath the colour print lies a fine pattern inspired by traditional netting and fishing traps. This element represents the knowledge systems and cultural practices of Torres Strait Islander communities and their enduring connection to sea and Country.
The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III, designed by Daniel Thorne. Both coins have a C mintmark.
The first collector 2 dollars is a coloured uncirculated 92% cupro nickel, 6% aluminum and 2% nickel coin with a mintage of 100,000. The second coin was limited to 7,500 coins and is made in fine silver.
The Torres Strait Islander Flag was adopted in May 1992 during the Torres Strait Islands Cultural Festival. It is the official flag of the Torres Strait Islanders, an Indigenous people of Australia.
The design of the Torres Strait Islander Flag was the winning entry in a competition organised by the Island Coordinating Council. It was proclaimed on 14 July 1995.
Torres Strait Islanders are the Indigenous Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal peoples of the rest of Australia, they are often grouped with them as Indigenous Australians.
2 dollars 2025 not intended for circulation
