Symbolism Coat of arms of Western Australia

although no motto granted part of coat of arms, earlier heraldic-like emblems of western australia used motto of cygnis insignis , means distinguished swans , being latin pun on swan emblem (cygnis being latin swan). insignis can mean remarkable, outstanding or conspicuous – adjectives pointing long-standing association between western australia , emblematic black swan. 20th century magazine devoted westralian poetry named cygnet published between 1913 , 1915; , western australian essayist sir walter murdoch wrote in 1930, quoting unnamed poet:

hail westralia!

hail bigness!

hail motto

cygnis insignis.

the symbolic black swan

westralia contraction of western australia used self-referentially. black swans have featured in westralian (or western australian) literature , art. colonist george fletcher moore included in 1831 ballad western australia me lines:

no lions or tigers dread meet,

our innocent quadrupeds hop on 2 feet;

no tithes , no taxes, here have pay,

and our geese swans, witty folk say.

d. h. lawrence wrote century later in 1925 story heritage:

jack looked out @ road, more enchanted full, soft river of heavenly blue water, on surface looked eagerly black swans. didn t see any.

oh yes! oh, yes! ll find em wild in native state little way up, said mr swallow.

the potency of image of black swan signifier of westralian nationalism can seen in passage randolph stow s merry-go-round in sea, published in 1965:

perth ancient ... , special city, cut off other cities sea , desert, there not city 2 thousand miles. among australian cities had proved special, romantic act called secession, other cities had stuffily ignored.

cinderella state, thought, feeling indignant. reason secession. because had ignored poor cinderella state, 1 million square miles of it.

maybe after war there d war. western australia against world, black swan flying.

shouldn t have gone parliament house, mother had remarked, seems have made political. ...

when western australia free? wondered.

don t know, said mother. perhaps when bonnie prince charlie comes over.

aww. grew disgusted @ flipancy.