The ACT Brumbies are an Australian professional rugby union team based in Canberra, competing in Super Rugby Pacific. The club was formed in 1996 as the ACT Brumbies for the inaugural Super 12 season, and the team is named for the wild horses that inhabit Canberra’s hinterland.[1]
Design and History
The Brumbies’ visual identity has centered on a rearing brumby horse emblem since the club’s inception. The original logo, used from 1996 until 2004, featured a shield design with a brumby horse motif. In advance of the 2005 season, the club dropped the “ACT” from its name to reflect that the team represented a territory extending beyond the Australian Capital Territory, and unveiled an updated logo to match the new name.[1]
In August 2022, the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union announced the reintroduction of “ACT” into the club’s name, restoring the original ACT Brumbies designation for the first time since 2004. The board ratified the decision to symbolically reconnect the club to its home in the nation’s capital.[2]
For the 2026 season, the club unveiled a special 30 Years logo to commemorate three decades of Super Rugby. The anniversary mark is a fusion of old and new, borrowing the design of the original emblem used from 1996 to 2004 but applying a modern colour scheme and adding a “30 Years” banner across the bottom of the shield.[3] The 30 Years logo features on most of the 2026 playing kit, with the retro jersey featuring the retro logo.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
At the heart of the 30 Years logo, the brumby horse rears forward in motion, echoing the dynamic, free-spirited silhouette of the original retro emblem while refined with the sleek lines of the contemporary logo. Deep navy and bold gold dominate the palette, honouring the club’s traditional colours, with “30 Years” integrated beneath the brumby to commemorate the milestone.[4]
The club’s traditional colours are navy blue, white and gold, with the primary jersey being navy with gold trim.[1] The team name references the brumbies, the feral horses that inhabit the Canberra region, a connection reinforced by the club’s official timeline, which describes the club as “proud to be in rugby with a Brumby on our chest.”[5]
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