New Zealand voted on Thursday in favour of retaining the country's flag, the preliminary results of a referendum showed.

The existing flag features the United Kingdom's Union Jack in the corner and four red stars in a Southern Cross formation, indicating New Zealand's location in the South Pacific.

The alternate design has similarities to the current flag but ditches the British Union Jack in favour of the fern.

The fern has become a national symbol and is worn by many sports teams, including the beloved All Blacks rugby team.

Just over 1.2 million people voted to keep the flag, while around 900,000 people voted for an alternative, according to a statement from the New Zealand government.

Thursday's results did not include any ballots that were already in the post but had not yet been received. The final results, which were not expected to significantly change, would be released on March 30.

(With inputs from Reuters)