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The Principality of Hutt River.

Here is a story of a farmer with a grievance towards the West Australian government’s wheat production quotas. This quota which was intended so as to avoid a pool of unsold cereal. So he, the farmer, Leonard Casley, declared his property a principality and himself as the Prince; Prince Leonard. His property Hutt River as it was called, until it became the Principality of Hutt River (and then commonly referred to as Hutt River Provence) 18.5 thousand acres. It was situated in West Australia about 300 miles nor nor east of Perth in the proximity of Geraldton. This was newsworthy at the time and remained so, both here and abroad.
What procedures did the Prince pursue to legitimise his claim? Initially through the Courts of the Commonwealth of Australia (now referred to as the Commonwealth). and eventually to the Privy Council which is the highest court in the British Commonwealth. The Prince was granted sovereignty of title because the Australian government didn’t turn up and challenge. The Commonwealth then changed the law on disputes. Privy Council appeal can be taken now only if permission is granted by the high court.
The Prince did receive correspondence from some high government sauces (don’t think that is spelt correctly) in his time. One time the Governor General addressed correspondence to “The Administrator of the Principality” Leonard and Shirley Casley.
Another was from Buckingham Palace. He receive a letter from Buckingham palace addressed to Prince Leonard. The Queen responded to good wishes from Leonard on the event of her 90th birthday.
Governments world-wide communicated with the Prince. From 1984 to 2010 28 countries exchanged 120 cables.
Prince Leonard abdicated to his son Graeme in 2017 and died in 2019 aged 93. Son Graeme became Prince until 2020 when the Provence was absorbed back into the Commonwealth of Australia. It had lasted more than 50 years.
Hutt River Provence generated considerable income from outside farming. It was a tourist attraction. It had its own currency and issued passports under the Prince’s authority. I don’t think too many took it all to seriously. Well wheat quotas were abolished in time- probably not as a result of this one man’s stand. Yes, governments are bullies and I admire the Prince for standing up to them.
There are other principalities in Australia, none I believe are related to Hutt River Provence, here they are (from Wikipedia.) Australia has been home to more than a dozen different micronations, among the most in the world, including the Sovereign State of Aeterna Lucina and the Province of Bumbunga.
First picture is Prince Leonard. Second picture is, (riding in the motorcar) Prince George the second. The third is a monetary note from (Wikipedia) John Rudge who calls himself the Grand Juke of Avram. There is also the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands which was established as a symbolic political protest over the perceived lack of action around same-sex marriage. There are apparently several dozen more in Australia. There is one of 4 acres north of Adelaide, South. Australia.