Hutt River, the strange story of an unrecognized principality hidden in western Australia

There once was a prince in the extensive lands of Western Australia. It wasn't long ago at all: Prince Leonard of Hutt River – and his heir, Prince Graeme I – ruled from the 1970s through the pandemic. But then, the independence of the small rebellious territory was over. Let's revisit the curious history of Hutt River.

At the approximate mark in this image lies the former Principality of Hutt River. A tiny, rebellious territory where in 1970 a few farmers decided to declare independence from Australia.

The instigator of Hutt River's quest for independence was Leonard George Casley. He ruled as the self-declared prince Leonard I until he passed away in 2019.

(Image: http://www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov)

The prince had proclaimed independence from the Australian government because he disagreed with its agricultural and tax policies.

In the territory of Hutt River, five families dedicated themselves mainly to the cultivation of wheat. When the Australian government imposed a quota on wheat in the 1960s, the five clans rebelled.

In 1969, they managed to transform little Hutt River into a province with the idea of obtaining more autonomy from the central government. They did all of this just to continue growing their wheat without government interference.

(Pictured: Lord John Davies, the first agent General in for the Hutt River province)

Declaring a province was not enough for the Hutt River people. When they failed to reach an agreement with the government, they declared their territory independent with exclusive loyalty to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Hutt River families called upon an old British law, the 1945 Treason Act, then still in force in Australia, to Hutt River a separate state on April 21, 1970.

It was necessary to make the state a principality in order to get the protection of another, old British law: the rule protecting all monarchies from government meddling. Leonard and Shirley Joy Casley became Hutt River's prince and princess.

(Image: http://www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov)

The territory of Hutt River measures only 75 square kilometres. Its population consists of about 60 people.

(Image: Aotearoa, Wikimedia. Based on: Australian topographic map 1:250.000 and maps from Hutt River web site)

As a principality, Hutt River had its own flag, seal, money, stamps, and other official symbols to emphasize that it was its own country.

The principality had its own coat of arms, as all noble and royal houses do.

(Image: Abigbro - own work, Wikimedia)

The territory's coin was the Hutt River dollar, portraying (of course) the face of Prince Leonard.

The principality of Hutt River – with Princess Shirley as its poster girl – was an Australian curiosity for a long time. They called Prince Leonard 'The Prince of Oz.'

The remote town drew travelers who liked to explore something different.

(Image: Baras, Wikimedia)

They had to get a visa stamp in their passports!

The Australian government never recognized Hutt River as a separate state. The central government and the principality of Hutt River spent decades litigating in the courts.

(Image: Prince Leonard holding local currency and the Hutt River passport)

The legal battle between Hutt River and the Australian government was always centered on taxes. The Western Australian Supreme Court repeatedly called upon Hutt River to comply with Australian tax laws.

The Supreme Court said in 2007: “Anyone can declare themselves a sovereign in their own home but they cannot ignore the laws of Australia or not pay tax.”

(Image: Alex Proimos - own work, Wikimedia)

And even the Queen paid Hutt River no mind. The principality always claimed to be under the protection of the British crown. But Elizabeth II never made any personal gesture in support of the principality.

The fight between the principality of Hutt River and Australia went so far that in 1976 the Australian postal service stopped providing its services to the territory. For some time, the mail arrived to Hutt River via Canada.

(Photo: John McArthur, Unsplash)

The principality of Hutt River has its own website. Iconic for its 'national' culture is the figure of Princess Shirley. She died in 2013.

(Image: http://www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov)

Prince Leonard died six years after his wife, in 2019. He was 93 years old.

Photo: screenshot from A Current Affair

Prince Leonard appointed a successor among his seven children: Prince Graeme I.

(Image: http://www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov)

However, as various journalists noted, the heir never had as much interest as his father in continuing the struggle for Hutt River's independence.

(Image: http://www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov)

Australia wasn't as hard hit by the Covid-19 virus as many other parts in the world, but its economy still suffered. For Hutt River, which had been in a pickle since 2019 after income from agriculture and tourism had decreased, the pandemic was the final blow.

(Image: OIC)

On August 3, 2020, the country officially ceased to exist. Hutt River stood under an incredible pressure from the Australian Tax office for millions of unpaid taxes during its 50-year history, CNN reported. In fact, as WA Today later noted, the land owned by the rebellious families of Hutt River had to be sold off to settle the tax dispute.

(Image: http://www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov)

Although Hutt River is no longer independent and its founders likely broke, there are still tributes to the Prince of the remarkable microstate. They reflect on his life and on how it was dedicated to the preservation of a nation's independence and a people's protection against what they considered as predatory taxes.

(Image: Prince Leonard Bust, by Chris Fithall, Wikimedia)