Hutt River Airstrip

The closure was a direct consequence of the dissolution of the Hutt River Province micronation. The micronation was dissolved due to insurmountable financial pressures, primarily a multi-million dollar tax debt owed to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The loss of tourism revenue, which was the province's main source of income, due to the COVID-19 pandemic was the final catalyst. The sale of the principality's land to settle these debts rendered all associated infrastructure, including the airstrip, defunct.

The site of the former Hutt River Province, including the airstrip, was sold in late 2020 to a local agricultural company, Westralian Agriculture. The land is being returned to its primary use for farming, specifically for growing crops like wheat and canola. While the physical scar of the runway may still be visible on satellite imagery, it is no longer maintained or used for aviation. It is now simply part of a private, active farming property and is not accessible to the public.

The Hutt River Airstrip was not a public or commercial airport but a private, unpaved landing strip integral to the identity and operation of the Hutt River Province, Australia's oldest and most famous micronation. Founded in 1970 by Leonard Casley ('Prince Leonard'), the province declared itself an independent sovereign state. The airstrip, while basic, served several key functions:

1. **Symbol of Sovereignty:** Having its own airstrip, complete with an unofficial ICAO code (AU-0042), reinforced the micronation's claim to independence and its ability to manage its own 'borders'.
2. **Tourism:** It provided a novel means of access for tourists, journalists, and dignitaries flying in via private, light aircraft, enhancing the visitor experience.
3. **Private Use:** It was used by the Casley family and their associates for private travel.

Operations were limited to Visual Flight Rules (VFR) for light aircraft capable of handling a short, dirt/gravel runway. It never handled scheduled commercial flights.

There are zero known plans or prospects for reopening the airstrip. The dissolution of the Hutt River Province was permanent, and the land is now under private ownership with a clear agricultural purpose. The new owners have no stated intention of operating an aviation facility. Reopening the airstrip would serve no purpose without the micronation it was built to support.