Australia’s iconic emu

The emu is endemic to Australia and is the nation’s largest living bird. Although the emu’s wings are too small for flight, it is compensated with long, powerful legs that can propel it across the land at speeds of up to 50km per hour.

Unusual among birds, it is the male emu that protects the clutch and incubates the eggs for two months, rarely leaving the nest for food or water, while the female moves on to breed again during the season. The chicks hatch with a distinctive brown and cream stripe or camouflage and are mostly independent by the age of seven months.

2026 emu design

The coin’s coloured reverse portrays an adult emu running across the Australian outback beneath a cloudy sky of blue and violet hues. A shed with a windmill is featured amid the low grasses and rocky terrain. The inscription ‘AUSTRALIAN EMU’ appears within the design, which also includes the coin’s weight, purity, 2026 year-date, and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.