Hutt River (Western Australia)
Encyclopedia
Hutt River is a river in the Mid West region of Western Australia
.
The river rises near the North West Coastal Highway
between the towns of Northampton
and Binnu and east of Hutt. It then flows in a westerly direction until reaching the Broken Anchor Bay on the Indian Ocean
just south of Port Gregory
.
Hutt Lagoon
, about 2 km north of the river mouth, was probably once the Hutt River's estuary
, but became a deadwater
and was eventually sealed off from the river by a sandbar. Under normal flow the river still runs to the north for a time before breaking through the final dune
and flowing to the sea, but under heavy flow it breaks straight through.
The first European to discover the river was the explorer Captain George Grey
in 1838, who named the river after his friend William Hutt.
The Principality of Hutt River is located midway along the river. The Principality covers an area of 18500 acres (74.9 km²) and claims to be an independent sovereign state that seceded from Australia in 1970 but is not officially recognised by Australia or any other country.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The river rises near the North West Coastal Highway
North West Coastal Highway
North West Coastal Highway in Western Australia is a generally north-south Western Australian highway which links the fishing town of Geraldton with the iron ore port of Port Hedland. It is long, and constructed as a sealed 2-lane single carriageway with overtaking lanes in some parts. It was...
between the towns of Northampton
Northampton, Western Australia
Northampton is a town north of Geraldton, in the Mid West region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 813. It is historic, with an outstanding National Trust building. The town lies on the North West Coastal Highway. Formerly named Gwalla after the location's...
and Binnu and east of Hutt. It then flows in a westerly direction until reaching the Broken Anchor Bay on the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
just south of Port Gregory
Port Gregory, Western Australia
Gregory is a small town and fishing port in the Mid West region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Gregory had a population of 46.Port Gregory, located close to the mouth of the Hutt River, was established in 1849 and named after brothers Augustus and Frank Gregory, two of Western...
.
Hutt Lagoon
Hutt Lagoon
Hutt Lagoon is a salt lake located near the coast just north of the mouth of the Hutt River, in midwest Western Australia.-Geography:Nominally located at , Hutt Lagoon is an elongate lake that sits in a dune swale adjacent to the coast...
, about 2 km north of the river mouth, was probably once the Hutt River's estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, but became a deadwater
Deadwater (topography)
A deadwater is that part of an estuary through which there is little to no water flow.In situations where a river flow is weaker than the marine processes that build sand dunes, the river may be obstructed from flowing into the sea by the formation of a sand dune; that is, a sandbar. In such cases...
and was eventually sealed off from the river by a sandbar. Under normal flow the river still runs to the north for a time before breaking through the final dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
and flowing to the sea, but under heavy flow it breaks straight through.
The first European to discover the river was the explorer Captain George Grey
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...
in 1838, who named the river after his friend William Hutt.
The Principality of Hutt River is located midway along the river. The Principality covers an area of 18500 acres (74.9 km²) and claims to be an independent sovereign state that seceded from Australia in 1970 but is not officially recognised by Australia or any other country.