Hutt River

English

Flag of Hutt River

Etymology

Named after the Hutt River, a 60-kilometre (37 mile) long river that flowed past the micronation. Coined on 21 April 1970 by founder Leonard Casley (1925–2019), initially as either the Hutt River Province or Province of Hutt River.

Proper noun

Hutt River

1. (historical) A former micronation laying claim to a farm in the Mid West region of Western Australia that existed between 1970 and 2020; officially the Principality of Hutt River.
   • 1971 March 4, “Farmer sets up own 'province'”, in The StarPhoenix‎^[1], page 2:

     Casley shares power with three of his sons. Wayne, 20, looks after foreign affairs and says Hutt River policies have a lot in common with those of the federal government in Canberra.

   • 1975 June 16, “The Prince of Hutt River”, in Time Magazine‎^[2], volume 105, number 25:

     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. On April 21, 1970, he served notice of secession and declared his 18,500-acre farm a sovereign state, which he called the Province of Hutt River (pop. 20).

   • 1986 January 9, Don Alpert, “Historic Carson City Dollars Still Coveted by Collectors”, in Los Angeles Times‎^[3]:

     Fantasy coins are those that appear to be real but are not issued by official authorities. Such is the case with the new commemorative (pictured) from Hutt River Province in Australia. If it doesn't bother you that the province is not recognized in Australia or elsewhere, then perhaps the piece by Hal Reed, a Los Angeles artist, will have some collector interest.

   • 2006 September, John Ryan, George Dunford, Simon Sellars, Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations‎^[4], Lonely Planet, →ISBN, page 24:

     The relationship with Australia, however, continued to be difficult. At one point the Australian Postmaster refused to handle outgoing Hutt River mail, forcing it to be diverted via Canada.

   • 2020 August 12, Richard Collett, “A tiny 'nation' in outback Australia”, in BBC News‎^[5]:

     Despite Prince Leonard's death last year, his family continued to raise the blue, gold and white standard of the Hutt River above the red plains of the Australian outback until 31 January 2020, when external pressure on the Hutt River's borders and finances finally proved insurmountable.

Synonyms

• Principality of Hutt River (formal)
• Hutt River Province; Province of Hutt River; Hutt River Province Principality (former official names)

Hypernyms

• micronation

Derived terms

• Hutt River dollar
• Hutt Riverian (rare)