Hutt River (Western Australia) facts for kids

The Hutt River is a river located in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It's about 60 kilometres (37 mi) long and flows into the Indian Ocean.

The river starts about 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the North West Coastal Highway. This is between the towns of Northampton and Binnu. The Hutt River flows west until it reaches Broken Anchor Bay. This bay is on the Indian Ocean, about 6 kilometres (4 mi) south-east of Port Gregory.

The main stream that feeds the Hutt River is Kennedy Creek. Other smaller streams, like Yarder Gully and Swamp Gully, also add fresh water to the river.

Normally, the Hutt River flows north for a short distance. Then it breaks through a sand dune to reach the sea. But when there's a lot of rain, the river flows straight through the dune.

Hutt Lagoon: A Unique Salt Lake

Near the mouth of the Hutt River, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north, is a special place called Hutt Lagoon. This is a type of salt lake that is connected to the ocean. It's also known as a "salina."

Hutt Lagoon gets its water from two places. It gets seawater that seeps in from the ocean through a natural barrier. It also gets fresh water from springs. Because the lagoon is lower than sea level, seawater is always seeping into it, all year round.

History of the Hutt River

The Hutt River area has a long and interesting history. Many people have explored and settled near its waters.

Early European Explorers

The first European to likely see the Hutt River was Francisco Pelsaert. He was a Dutch explorer. On June 9, 1629, his ship stopped in Broken Anchor Bay. This was after his ship, the Batavia, sank nearby. He probably came back to the river mouth later that year.

Pelsaert's crew explored the area. Two of his crew members, Wouter Loos and Jan Pelgrom de Bye, were left behind here. They are thought to be the first Europeans to live in Australia.

British Exploration and Naming

The first British explorer to find the Hutt River was Lieutenant George Grey. He discovered it on April 5, 1839. He named the river after his friend, Sir William Hutt.

Sir William Hutt was a British politician. He was very involved in helping to set up new settlements in Western Australia, New Zealand, and South Australia. He was also the brother of John Hutt, who was the second Governor of Western Australia. The very next day, Grey named the nearby Bowes River after Sir William Hutt's wife, Mary Bowes.

The Principality of Hutt River

For many years, a unique place called the Principality of Hutt River existed along the river. This was a "micronation." A micronation is like a small, self-declared country that is not officially recognized by other countries.

The Principality covered a large area of about 18,500 acres (75 km²). It claimed to be an independent country. It said it separated from Australia in 1970. This happened because of a disagreement about how much wheat farmers could grow.

However, no government, including Australia's, ever recognized it as a real country. The Principality of Hutt River officially ended in August 2020.