[2] In order to ensure secrecy, the choice of arms was communicated by telegraph to London using the respective code words, "Halfpay", "Halfprice", "Iceblink" and "Icebound".

[3] The final and current addition to the coat of arms was created in 1977, the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, with the granting of the red deer and brolga as supporting animals.

And for the crest, on a wreath of the Colours, a Mount thereon a Maltese Cross Azure surmounted with a Royal Crown between 2 sugar-canes all proper.

And for the Supporters, on the dexter side a Red Deer and on the sinister side a Brolga wings elevated and addorsed both proper, below on a scroll this motto, 'Audax at Fidelis'.Modernised, this means:[5] Across the top of the shield a gold panel on which there is a bull's head in profile muzzled, cut off at the neck and a merino ram's head, facing each other, both naturally coloured.

In the lower portion of the shield on the left hand side on the black background a golden sheaf of wheat; on the right side on a red background and on a green mound, a golden obelisk standing on a pile of quartz with a crossed pick and shovel in the foreground.The symbols on the shield represent what Queensland's largest industries at the time the arms were designed.

The wheat industry's origins belong with the first settlers in 1788, as the farms were worked by the convicts brought over from England, an idea of Governor Phillip.

[12] They stand 1 m tall with a wing-span of up to 2.4 m. They are generally grey and are known for their distinctive energetic mating dance as well as their loud trumpeting garooo call.