The Stafford knot was the badge of the 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot in which Sir Thomas Brisbane entered the British Army as an Ensign in 1789.

Two Gryphons support the design, together with the motto Meliora Sequimur, which means 'we aim for the best' in Latin.

The wavy blue bar around the creatures' necks alludes to the city's location as a port on the river.

The palm leaves in the crest are a symbol of victory included as a compliment from the Council to the valour of Australian Defence Force.

The blazon (heraldic description) is as follows: [1] The Arms are described as —"Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure a Caduceus Or on a Chief nebuly of the second a Stafford Knot of a third between two Mullets of the first.