Hi Fred,

Yes, the Southern Cross is relevant. The Eureka Rebellion, aka the Eureka Stockade was a rebellion of gold miners.

"On 30 November 1854 miners at Ballarat in Victoria swore allegiance to the Southern Cross flag at Bakery Hill and built a stockade at the nearby Eureka diggings. They were disgruntled with the way the colonial government was administering the goldfields.

"Early on the morning of Sunday 3 December 1854, when the stockade was only lightly guarded, government troops attacked. At least 22 miners and five soldiers were killed.

"The rebellion of miners at Eureka Stockade is a key event in the development of Australia’s political systems and attitudes towards democracy and equality."

The blue Southern Cross flag is still seen as a mark of people coming together to fight for their rights, along the lines of "united we stand, divided we fall" which is a well known motto of workers' unions here. The Southern Cross constellation is also on the Australian national flag as well as nearby New Zealand's flag.