Hutt River, Australia's first micronation, has come to an end due to the financial strain of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 50-year existence of a micronation led by a self-declared 'prince' has now reached its conclusion.

Hutt River, which once issued its own passports and even declared war on Australia, has long been a quirky attraction for tourists.

However, the economic fallout from the Covid-19 crisis and a massive tax debt have prompted the principality to announce it will give up its independence and rejoin Australia.

Hutt River's story began in 1970 when the late Prince Leonard Casley, claiming to have found a legal loophole, declared the region in Western Australia a sovereign principality, located 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Perth.

Spanning 75 square kilometers of farmland, Hutt River was more than twice the size of Macau, yet it was home to fewer than 30 people.

Though the Australian government never formally recognized it, the principality operated as if it were a sovereign nation, issuing visas, driver's licenses, passports, currency, and stamps. It also flew its own flag and reportedly had 13 diplomatic offices in 10 countries, including the US and France.

Now, after an extraordinary journey, Hutt River’s story has come to an end.

Casley expressed his heartbreak to Dinogo Travel over the decision to dissolve the micronation.

‘It’s incredibly sad to watch your father spend 50 years building something, only to see it shut down,’ said Casley. ‘The world is going through tough economic and health challenges due to Covid, and we’re experiencing that pain as well.’

Hutt River was Australia’s most renowned micronation.

Micronations are self-proclaimed sovereign states that lack legal independence, unlike microstates like Vatican City, which are officially recognized as sovereign entities.

Australia is home to more micronations than most other nations.

In recent years, many of Hutt River's citizens have declared their own independence from Australia, establishing mini-nations within the country.

But none have achieved the fame of the Principality of Hutt River, also known as Hutt River Province, which has made headlines globally for over five decades.

Originally, Prince Leonard's decision to break away from Australia was driven by his disagreement with farming regulations, but he later transformed the principality into a one-of-a-kind tourist destination, attracting visitors who bought passports, currency, and stamps.

Like many tourist destinations worldwide, the principality became vulnerable to the economic fallout from the pandemic.

Tourism had long been a major source of revenue for Hutt River, especially in the last 15 years, as the Internet helped spread its unique story globally.

For many visitors, simply getting a stamp from the Hutt River Principality in their passport was enough to make the trip worth it.

After completing the required process, visitors were taken on a tour of the principality's main buildings, where a staff member would share the local history. Guests could visit the Post Office to send letters or buy Hutt River stamps, explore the Memorabilia Department and Historical Society, and enjoy a light meal in the tea rooms.

Hutt River even had its own currency. Visitors could purchase and use the Hutt River dollar, which was pegged one-to-one with the Australian dollar.

Other highlights included a non-denominational chapel and Princess Shirley’s Sacred Educational Shrine. Named after Prince Leonard’s wife, the shrine featured exhibits related to religion and physics, created with the help of scholars from the principality’s ‘Royal College of Advanced Research.’

Also on display was the Royal Art Collection, which included 300 pieces of artwork spread across the buildings, as well as a large bust of Prince Leonard, sculpted from stone by a Canadian artist.

The walls of the principality’s buildings were lined with documents, newspaper clippings, and photographs chronicling the history of the micronation, including the moment in 1977 when Prince Leonard declared war on Australia.

When Prince Leonard found out that the Australian government was pursuing Hutt River over unpaid taxes, he reportedly consulted his own government. Rather than pay, he chose to declare war. However, his plans for battle were unclear, especially since the Royal Hutt River Defence Force wouldn’t be established until 11 years later.

The Royal Hutt River Defence Force included an army, a navy, and a military college that produced artillery manuals and training programs so advanced that they were reportedly adopted by US Army affiliates, according to Hutt River's official website.

Prince Leonard’s brief war against Australia lasted only a few days and had no effect on the Australian Taxation Office, which remained undeterred by the principality’s bold display of force.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) persisted in its efforts to collect unpaid taxes, eventually leading to the principality’s surrender last week.

Although he felt disappointment, Graeme Casley, the successor, expressed pride in his father’s accomplishments and hoped that the story of Hutt River would be remembered for generations.

‘I have so many cherished memories of living here in the principality,’ Graeme said. ‘After mum passed away in 2013, I spent five years working full-time alongside my father. It wasn’t just a father-son bond, it was a deep and meaningful professional relationship we shared.’

‘What he built over the last 50 years is extraordinary,’ Graeme continued. ‘It’s a unique story that people all over the world have read about, and it won’t be forgotten now.’