In 1970, Leonard Casley, a wheat farmer in Western Australia, declared his property the Principality of Hutt River after a dispute with the government over wheat sales quotas. Frustrated by restrictions that threatened his livelihood, he styled himself as Prince Leonard and established a miniature country complete with passports, stamps, and currency, attracting thousands of tourists over the years. Despite its convincing facade, Hutt River was never recognized as an independent nation by the Australian government, which maintained its legal claim over the land. Casley's arguments for independence, including references to old British laws, were not accepted in any formal context. His symbolic declaration of war on Australia in 1977 and claims about tax benefits were largely unsubstantiated, leading to ongoing disputes with tax authorities. After Casley's death in 2019, his son briefly took over but faced financial difficulties, leading to the principality's formal dissolution in 2020, marking the end of a unique chapter in Australian history.