Centenary of Federation Medal

Centenary of Federation 1901-2001 Medal: The Centenary Medal was announced by the Prime Minister on 28 December 2001. The Medal was created to honour living persons who have made a contribution to Australian society or government. This includes those Australians who have lived through our first century of federation. The Medal will enable the community to thank those who have made Australia's first hundred years as a federal nation such a great success and who have laid solid foundations for Australia's future. The award of the medal to them will be a fitting acknowledgement from the nation of their long contribution to Australia Designed by Balarinji, Sydney, the cupro-nickel medal features a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, representing the six Australian states, with the seventh point representing Australia's territories. At the centre of the Star is an indigenous styling of Aboriginal traditions at the heart of the continent. The colours in the ribbon are crimson for Federation (Sir Henry Parkes "the crimson thread of kinship") and blue and gold for the beginning of the 21st Century. The seven gold and red lines represent the pathways to federation of the states. There are 100 dots around the outer edge of each of the obverse and reverse symbolising100 years of federation. "Centenarians", namely Australian citizens born on or before 31 December 1901 and who lived to celebrate the centenary of federation on 1 January 2001, have an entitlement to the Medal.