The Boxing Kangaroo

 


The Boxing Kangaroo has a huge amount of self-confidence and epitomises the Australian fighting spirit. This unrelenting "have a go" Aussie spirit makes him hugely popular with all Australians.

BK is not a lout, nor is he aggressive or arrogant. He is, however, assertive when it comes to defending his country's glory.

The Boxing Kangaroo rose to prominence in 1983 when the Australia II team won the America's Cup. The Australian crew raised the Boxing Kangaroo as their sporting battle flag. The image, a red-gloved golden kangaroo on a green background, was owned by Alan Bond (owner of the Australia II yacht) who licensed it for mass production.

The National Museum of Australia in Canberra features the original Boxing Kangaroo flag from Australia II in its national historical collection.

The Australian Olympic Committee bought the rights to the Boxing Kangaroo image during the late 1980s and members of the Australian Olympic Team carried a Boxing Kangaroo plush toy at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

This famous Aussie icon, known affectionately as "BK", has become synonymous with Australia's proud sporting heritage and as such has become arguably Australia's favourite supporter mascot. The BK flag represents a powerful green and gold visual that symbolises Australia's confident approach to sport.

The Boxing Kangaroo is not aligned to any particular sport and, although he has been adopted as the official mascot for the Australian Olympic Team, BK can be seen at any sporting event, and many cultural ones, where Australia is participating.

The Boxing Kangaroo is a unique and powerfully emotive symbol with broad appeal to Australians and tourists alike. BK is also a great symbol for the younger generation as he represents the positive values and virtues of sport: aspiration, positive attitude, sportsmanship, pride, individual responsibility, respect and expression. These same qualities are what drive Australia's pursuit of success on the international sporting stage.