Murrawarri Republic facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Murrawarri Republic
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 Flag
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| Status | Current |
| Location | Parts of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia |
| Capital | Barringun |
| Official languages | Muruwari, Australian English |
| Ethnic groups | Murrawarri people European Australians |
| Religion | Dreamtime Religion |
| Organizational structure | Republic |
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• Chairman of the Provisional Council of State
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Fred Hooper |
| Establishment | |
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• Declared
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30 March 2013 |
| Area claimed | |
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• Total
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81,000 km2 (31,000 sq mi) |
| Purported currency | Australian dollar (AUD) |
| Time zone | UTC+10:00 UTC+11:00 (DST; NSW territory only) |
The Murrawarri Republic is a micronation that declared itself independent from Australia in 2013. A micronation is like a small, self-proclaimed country that is not recognized by the world's major governments.
The Murrawarri Republic claims land that crosses the border between the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland. This area is the traditional home of the Murrawarri people, who are Aboriginal people. Today, most people living there are not Indigenous Australians. The Government of Australia does not recognize the Murrawarri Republic as an independent country.
Contents
Declaring Independence
On March 30, 2013, the Murrawarri Republic announced its independence. The Murrawarri Peoples Council sent a message to the Queen of England (Elizabeth II), the Prime Minister of Australia (Julia Gillard), and the leaders of Queensland and New South Wales. They gave them 21 days to reply.
The Murrawarri Council asked the Queen for specific documents:
- Treaty papers between the Murrawarri Nation and the British Crown. These would show any agreements made.
- A document proving the Murrawarri Nation had given up its sovereignty (its right to govern itself) to the British Crown.
- Documents showing that the British Crown had declared war on the Murrawarri Nation.
The deadline was May 8, 2013, and the Crown did not respond. The Murrawarri Council saw this silence as a sign that the Crown agreed the Murrawarri Republic was a free and independent state. This was based on international law.
On May 12, 2013, the Murrawarri people took their fight for self-rule to the United Nations. They asked to be recognized as the world's newest country. The next day, they even set up a Ministry of Defence. Their declaration stated that a public vote would be held by April 1, 2014, to choose their leaders. Until then, the People's Council would be in charge.
On May 30, 2013, Time magazine reported that the Australian Government had not replied because there was no legal reason to do so. A human rights lawyer who works with Indigenous Australians agreed with this view.
Geography and Climate
The Murrawarri Republic's website describes its territory as a triangle. It crosses the Queensland and New South Wales border. Its eastern point is about 600 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean, on the side of the Great Dividing Range away from the coast. The northwestern point is near the Queensland town of Cunnamulla. The southwestern point is where the Darling and Warrego Rivers meet.
The area is roughly 200 kilometers from east to west and about 250 kilometers from north to south. The republic's website says its area is 81,796 km2. However, studies have shown the actual area is closer to 22,170 km2. This is less than one-third of what they claim.
The climate in this region is hot and very dry. It is mostly grassland. In January, the average high temperature is about 36°C, and the low is 18°C. In July, the average high is 22°C, and the low is 5°C. The area gets about 360 millimeters of rain each year, with more rain falling in the summer.
The Mitchell Highway (A71) runs through the territory from north to south.
Provisional Council of State
The Provisional Council of State is the group that governs the Murrawarri Republic. The People's Council held its first meeting on July 13, 2013. At this meeting, they all agreed to create the Provisional Council of State.
The council has 11 members. These members are Fred Hooper, Kevin Hooper, Phyllis Cubby, Evelyn Barker, Sam Jefferies, Desmond Jones, Phillip Sullivan, Julie Johnston, Gloria Johnston, Sharni Hooper, and Alison Salt. Fred Hooper is the current chairman of the Provisional Council of State.
Flag Meaning
The flag of the Murrawarri Republic has special meanings:
- The brown color stands for the land.
- The light blue color represents the sky, where Murrawarri spirits live before they return. It also stands for water and the people.
- Together, the brown and blue colors represent Mother Earth.
- The white star in the top left corner has eight points. These points represent the eight different clan groups of the Murrawarri Republic.
See also
In Spanish: República Murrawarri para niños
- Secessionism in Western Australia
- States and territories of Australia
- List of active separatist movements in Oceania
- List of micronations
- List of proposed states of Australia
- List of states with limited recognition
