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Australian Coat of Arms 
The first official Coat of Arms granted to the Commonwealth of Australia was made by King Edward VII in a Royal Warrant of 7 May 1908. The Arms were composed of a simple shield of white and blue enclosing a cross of Saint George on which there were five six-pointed white stars, around the outside of which were six small escutcheons, i.e., small shields. The shield was supported by a kangaroo and an emu standing on a grassy mound. Above the shield was the crest containing the seven-pointed gold star of Federation on a wreath of white and blue. The motto 'Advance Australia' was inscribed at the base.
The absence of specific references to the States in the shield in the 1908 Arms led to a number of alterations approved on the recommendation of the Commonwealth Government by King George V in a Royal Warrant of 19 September 1912. The new design included a shield with six parts each containing a representation of the badge of a State. The positions and attitudes of the supporters were also changed. The colours of the wreath of the crest were altered to gold and blue. These are the 'livery' colours of the Arms.
The new Arms were accompanied by small branches of wattle, ornamental rests for the supporters, and a scroll with the word 'Australia' - none of which are actually mentioned in the 1912 Royal Warrant.
Related weblinks -
• There is more about the Coat of Arms at the prime Minister's website -
http://www.pm.gov.au/aus_in_focus/nat_symbols/coatofarms.html
• And also at the DFAT website -
http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/coat_of_arms.html