Visiting the Principality of Hutt River

Well, where do we start in describing our visit to the home of 92 year old Leonard Casley otherwise known as Prince Leonard of the Principality of Hutt River (PHR).  PHR lies 595km north of Perth, close to the town of Northampton and covers an area of 18,500 acres.  The story behind its creation sounds like the plot of an Ealing Comedy.  Mr Casley was appealing against the latest wheat quotas but was getting nowhere so after reading up on various laws, decided to declare his property an Independent Sovereign State.  He submitted a formal notice of secession to the Australian Government on 21st April 1970 and seems to have caused much debate amongst government over the years as to whether he had a legitimate claim or whether he was just crackers.

The Casley family have fully embraced the idea of a Principality, with overseas consuls, their own currency, stamps, flag and anthem.  We had our passports stamped with PHR visas at the government office – not sure what Customs will make of this next time we fly abroad.  We also sent some postcards with PHR stamps.  Australia Post doesn’t recognise the stamps and won’t allow them to be placed in the normal spot on the front of the envelope so they were stuck on the back and the envelope franked – it was all good fun anyway.

Prince Leonard is still as sharp as a tack mentally but is slowing down so decided to abdicate in February 2017 and hand over rule to his son who is now Prince Graeme.  He still enjoys showing people around and pointing out some of his most treasured possessions and documents.  He is particularly proud of a letter he received from Queen Elizabeth II last year in acknowledgement of the Principality’s 46th anniversary.

Prince Leonard also founded the PHR Royal College of Advanced Research to study religion and pure physics and has devised equations for the universe.  There are several small statues of animals and birds with their ‘Nature’s Spirit Codes’ in the Educational Shrine dedicated to his late wife Princess Shirley.

If you would like to read more about the Principality or Prince Leonard’s mathematical discoveries their website address is: www.principality-hutt-river.com

 

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