Principality of Marlborough
Encyclopedia
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| Motto: none Musical Anthem: none |
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| Type of entity: | Micronation Micronation Micronations, sometimes also referred to as model countries and new country projects, are entities that claim to be independent nations or states but which are not recognized by world governments or major international organizations... |
| Location: | Near Rockhampton, Queensland Rockhampton, Queensland Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane.... |
| Area: | tba km² (tba sq mi) |
| Membership: | 2 |
| Date of foundation: | 1993 |
| Leadership: | Prince George (George Muirhead) |
| Purported organisational structure: | Absolute monarchy Absolute monarchy Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government in which the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, his or her power not being limited by a constitution or by the law. An absolute monarch thus wields unrestricted political power over the... |
| Language: | English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... |
| Currency: | Australian Dollar |
The Principality of Marlborough was a short-lived micronation
Micronation
Micronations, sometimes also referred to as model countries and new country projects, are entities that claim to be independent nations or states but which are not recognized by world governments or major international organizations...
located at 22°30′18.19"S 149°9′6.45"E, 200 km (124 mi) north of Rockhampton
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1993.
The principality came into being when farmer George Muirhead, facing the possibility of the repossession of his properties - Kierawonga & Indicus - by the Commonwealth Bank, challenged the legality of their bills of exchange in the Queensland Supreme Court. When he lost the case, Muirhead returned to his property under the grounds that he had been denied natural justice, and, along with his wife and approximately 30 other supporters, declared it to be an independent principality where the bank and Queensland Government had no legal authority.
11 days after the proclamation of independence (at approximately 5:00am), 120 officers of the Queensland Police
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto of "Firmness with Courtesy" was changed to "With Honour We Serve"...
entered the property and forcibly evicted the Muirheads. The Muirheads won widespread media attention from across the world, with the media portraying them as hardworking people being victimized by a cold, heartless corporation. The Muirheads adopted the Australian flag, the Scottish Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag
Australian Aboriginal Flag
The Australian Aboriginal Flag is a flag that represents Indigenous Australians. It is one of the official "Flags of Australia", and holds special legal and political status, but it is not the "Australian National Flag"...
and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Flag as the symbol of their principality
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
during the secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
.
On the Queen's Birthday Long Weekend 1993, a small number of men, clad in surplus military fatigues, attempted to storm Parliament House
Parliament House
Parliament House is the name of the seat of Parliament in a number of jurisdictions:-Australia:Commonwealth Parliament* Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia* Old Parliament House, CanberraState and Territory Parliaments...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. When confronted by security officers, the group claimed to be the "Marlborough Liberation Army". The group later turned out to be engaged in a high school prank.
As of 2004, the Muirheads have not pursued their claim to the principality.