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The Principality of Hutt River, formerly Hutt River Province, is a micronation founded by Leonard Casey in 1970 after a dispute with the Western Australian government over wheat quotas.
Location
Official Websites
Official website, Principality-Hutt-River.com:
The Principality of Hutt River is situated 595 km north of Perth, Western Australia and is about 75 square km in area, consisting of some 18,500 acres of land.
Documents and Transcripts
Pandora: Principality of Hutt River
The National Library of Australia’s archives of the Principality of Hutt River’s official website.
Archive.org: hutt-river-province.com
The Wayback Machines catalog of the Principality of Hutt River’s official website.
Casley v Commissioner of Taxation [2007], Austlii:
The applicants contend that they reside in the so-called “Hutt River Province” and that that is not part of Australia and not subject to Australian taxation laws. The arguments advanced by the applicants are fatuous, frivolous and vexatious.
News Coverage
1971
‘Man who did not vote claims ‘I’ve seceded’, The Age:
PERTH. – A man who claims to have seceded from the Commonwealth was fined $2 in the Perth Court of Petty Sessions yesterday for failing to vote in last years Senate election.
1972
‘Did not show up: $40′, The Age:
A man who described himself as the Foreign Affairs Minister for Hutt River Province was fined $40 with $16.90 costs yesterday for failing to attend a medical examination required by the National Service Act.
1973
Talk of war: Prince and the council, continued as ‘Prince’ vs council, Sydney Morning Herald:
‘Prince’ Leonard had failed to get a building permit from the council. And with a third of the $100 000 project completed, the council said stop – or else
The Stamp of Disapproval, Sydney Morning Herald:
Though he is upset about the Australian Post Office’s non-acceptance of his stamps, prince Leonard (alias Leonard George Casley) is actually laughing all the way to his bank. Well, not HIS bank an Australian bank.
1974
‘Self-styled prince fined over liquor’, The Sydney Morning Herald:
Interviewed by Police at the Hutt River Provvince near Geralton on January 16, Prince Leonard admitted he did nothaave a permit to sell liquor to the public and declared that he did not need one.
1975
‘AUSTRALIA: The Prince of Hutt River’, TIME:
When the wheat quota for his Western Australia farm was cut in 1969, Leonard Casley protested that the government was trying to make him a pauper. Rather than let that happen, Casley decided to make himself a prince.
1976
‘Devious Route’, The Sydney Morning Herald:
Until the middle of last year Hutt River mail carried both Hutt River stamps and Cocos Island stamps … but then Australian Post said it would not carry any mail with Hutt River stamps on the envelope.
‘Casino on the cards for Hutt’, The Age:
Western Australia’s secessionist Hutt River Province is to get a casino … as soon as a lake a mile long and a quarter mile long, now being constructed by five members of the provinces population of thirty five, [is] completed.
…
The prince, who admits to being a millionaire, also owns several copper and lead mines containing ore worth $60 million.
…
During the Press conference at Tullamarine, Prince Leonard also elevated his Tasmanian Agent General, “Sir” John Rudge.
1977
‘Aussie ‘Prince’ Having Fun’, Spokane Daily Chronicle:
Casley says the Aussie government will never challenge his reign in court because it knows it would lose.
It appears that everyone involved is having such a good time that it would be a shame to put an end to the Hutt River charade.
‘Prince Len’s Pioneer Spirit’, The Age:
The ‘By Appointment’ business is booming, with that self proclaimed monarch, Prince Leonard of Hutt River Province, Western Australia, getting into the act.
Prince Len IS rather provincial, The Age:
Underneath the sash he is an affable man who takes is secession seriously but is amused by it nevertheless. And with 60,000 tourists going through the province last year, Prince Leonard can laugh all the way to the provincial bank.
1980
‘Leo succeeds himself in coup’, The Age:
Tiny Hutt River Province, surrounded by Western Australia, has declared itself a monarchy … it’s thirty eight residents had so far shown no sign of dissent, his majesty said.
1983
‘Principality discovers a passport to success’, The Age:
his currency could attract overseas bankers and help attract the $3 billion needed to build a casino, tourist resort and international airport by 1988, when he hopes to have 40,000 citizens.
1982
‘Prince Leonard’s passports “subversive”‘, The Age:
The issuing of diplomatic passports by the self-styled Prince Leonard of Hutt River Province in Western Australia was a subversive farce that could facilitate international movements of terrorists and drug runners, an opposition Senator claimed.
1983
‘Queen of Scots’ defense gives court a royal pain, The Montreal Gazette:
Raymonde Montague Sacklyn is not an ambassador, only a jaywalker, a Hong Kong court ruled yesterday… the court refused Sacklyn diplomatic immunity as the ambassador of a principality in Western Australia.
1985
‘Hutt River ‘claims’ Vanuatu’, The Sydney Morning Herald:
Prince Leonard of Hutt, in Sydney this weekend for a “Royal Ball”, has plans for a Hutt River outpost in Vanautu.
2008
‘Hutt River ambassador charged with fraud’, AFP:
A man claiming to be the ambassador of a self-proclaimed state in Australia has appeared in a Dubai court charged with fraud …
The unnamed 48-year-old Iranian insisted on Tuesday he should be treated as a diplomat, claiming he was the ambassador of the so-called Principality of Hutt River, in Western Australia
‘Prince Leonard has pneumonia’, WA Today:
The self-proclaimed monarch of Hutt River Province has contracted pneumonia – but his wife of 61 years says he’s not ready to abdicate.
Other Collections
The Imperial Collection: Coins of the Hutt River Province
Contains images and information on coins of Hutt River from 1976 to 2000.
Royal Mint of Hutt River
Information and order forms for recent commemorative Hutt River coins.