Beyond angry protesters and inked arms, there's this First Nations story of the Southern Cross – one of unity and belonging

Southern Cross constellation in the night's sky. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Can the Southern Cross represent Australian identity? Waved by a proud athlete or an angry protester, inked into skin or stuck to a car window, these five stars condense different aspirations, identities and histories into a recognisable symbol.

Yet such symbolism is inherently contested: from the Eureka Stockade to protests over COVID-19 vaccine mandates, or from the coat of arms to the eponymous Sydney train station, Australians have projected differing values and narratives of belonging to this constellation.