In Sydney, and over the rest of Australia, it would be hard to miss the beautiful bright yellow flowers of the golden wattle in full bloom!

Did you know there are over a thousand species of wattle found in Australia?

According to the National Museum of Australia, First Australians know these wattles by many different names. Namaraag, for example, is the word used by Sydney’s Dharawal people for the Sydney golden wattle.

Wattle has long been incorporated in significant and notable designs by graphic design artists working in Australia. One example is the use of wattle branches as part of Australia’s coat of arms design (since 1912), and the golden wattle as Australia’s national floral emblem.

Nature has been used in design throughout the ages as a way of imparting meaning. One way it can work in design is in the expression of national identity. Whilst wattle was always regarded by many as Australia’s floral emblem it was not formally recognised until 1988.

As everyone knows politics can exert heavy influence over most things including the choice of design elements in graphic design outcomes! The golden wattle was very popular among nationalist groups within Australia and won out in the end as the official national floral emblem of Australia. There was resistance from other groups such as those who preferred the waratah as a design element seeing it as more exclusively Australian.

The power of florals in design has long been recognised by artists as a way of tapping into an individual’s emotions thus making them a significant tool in visual communication. As well as providing graphic designers with an opportunity to connect emotionally with audiences, nature provides other important visual attributes such as vibrancy of colours and distinct patterning.

Wattle’s influence on graphic design choices can be seen everywhere—on coins, medals, fabric, postcards, stamps, pottery, and in the world of fashion. The design of the uniforms for Australia’s Olympic teams and national sporting teams are inspired by the green of the wattle leaf and the gold of the wattle flower!
Good graphic designers understand the emotional attachment that people carry when it comes to native flora and fauna! They use this valuable knowledge when working on visual solutions for graphic design agency clients. At Fresco Creative we are a Sydney-based graphic design agency that has extensive experience and understanding of visual communications and are adept at arriving at amazing design solutions! If you are seeking an incredible design outcome for your next project, contact us today!