1946 - 1958
TAA's original emblem, introduced in 1946, was designed to make an immediate statement: this was to be Australia's own national airline carrier, reaching every corner of the continent.
At the centre of the badge sits a red kangaroo — Australia's national emblem — silhouetted against a solid yellow map of the country. Four arrows radiate outward from the kangaroo, pointing north, south, east, and west, symbolising TAA's ambition to connect every state and territory by air. The whole design is enclosed in a circular frame, with "Trans-Australia Airlines" arched in bold black lettering around the top, and the "TAA" initials displayed on a banner across the base.
This emblem flew on TAA's aircraft and appeared on tickets, timetables, and staff uniforms, becoming one of the earliest and most recognisable marks in Australian domestic aviation.
1958 - 1981
Introduced in 1958, this redesign marked the evolution of the original TAA kangaroo into a cleaner, more contemporary corporate symbol. The map of Australia and upward-pointing arrow were removed, leaving a bold red kangaroo alongside an italicised TAA wordmark. The forward-leaning typography and streamlined design reflected the airline's modern outlook as it entered the turbine and emerging Jet Age, while retaining the iconic kangaroo that had become synonymous with Trans-Australia Airlines.
The kangaroo emblem remained a constant feature on TAA aircraft for almost three decades. It appeared on every major aircraft livery from 1958 until 1981.
1981–1986
With the introduction of the Airbus A300B4 into the TAA fleet in 1981, the airline unveiled an entirely new corporate livery. The familiar red kangaroo, which had been a feature of TAA aircraft for more than two decades, was removed and replaced with a bold, stylised TAA logo incorporating sweeping blue stripes and a red tail flash.
The redesign was intended to project a more contemporary image, reflecting the arrival of a new generation of wide-body aircraft and presenting TAA as a modern, forward-looking airline. Although the new livery was visually distinctive, it proved unpopular with many employees and aviation enthusiasts. The shape of the logo quickly earned the affectionate nickname "Camel Humps", a reference to the twin peaks formed by the lettering.
Despite the mixed reception, the livery remained in service throughout the fleet until 1986, when TAA was rebranded as Australian Airlines following the Australian Government's decision to consolidate the airline's corporate identity.
1986–1993
After five years away from TAA aircraft, the kangaroo returned in 1986 as the centrepiece of the new Australian Airlines identity. Displayed prominently on the tail of every aircraft, it was larger than ever before and once again became the airline's unmistakable symbol.
The return of the kangaroo was regarded as an important milestone in the airline's history, prompting the production of a national advertising campaign to announce its arrival. The first aircraft to carry the new livery was Boeing 737-376 VH-TBF, whose delivery marked the return of one of Australia's most recognisable aviation emblems to the nation's skies.
Although the TAA name disappeared in 1986, the kangaroo continued to represent Australian Airlines until the airline was merged with Qantas in 1993.
More details on the aircraft fleet from this period can be found here.
