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show the existence of the creek, a second levy to the SRWSC for using creek waters for irrigation purposes, and a third levy to the
Thomson River Improvement Trust which was supposed to prevent further erosion by the creek - which nonetheless continued to grow with each new flood. The SRWSC then constructed a weir across the river downstream of the bridge in 1954, which had the effect of funneling even higher volumes of floodwater directly into Rainbow Creek.
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particularly severe flooding in 1978. The farmers of
Cowwarr had long blamed government incompetence over nearly three decades for their woes, but when they were denied the right to claim compensation for loss of land, productivity, and private infrastructure in 1978 they decided to take further action.
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Public attention was again focused on
Cowwarr, and the existence of the State of Rainbow Creek ensured that Barnes remained a thorn in the side of the SRWSC and the Victorian Government for a number of years, as he issued passports, stamps, banknotes and other printed material to promote the cause of
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and seeking to emulate "Prince
Leonard" took legal advice and then declared the unilateral secession of his property from the State of Victoria on 23 July 1979. He appointed himself "Governor" of the newly created Independent State of Rainbow Creek, and together with "Minister for Information" George
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on 16 January 1979, before banks of television cameras. Some legal scuffling between Barnes and the SRWSC followed in the
Victorian court system, during which minor points were won and lost on both sides, after which a government offer of loans - but not the desired compensation - was rejected by the
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By the late 1970s, the creek was 8 metres (26 feet) deep and over 50 metres (164 feet) wide, and farmers had to privately fund the construction of bridges to cross from one part of their properties to the other. These were all washed away, along with crops, stock, and equipment by
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built over the
Thomson River at Cowwarr in the late 1930s proved to be sited too close to the annual flood high-water mark, so when that structure proved an impediment to the flow of debris during a particularly violent flood in 1952, the river simply carved a new course for itself around the edge of
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The farmers began using water from the creek to irrigate their properties, however, local and state authorities responded by serving them with levies for water use. Those affected had to pay one set of levies to the local council for land which was now underwater because their title deeds did not
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the bridge. This "breakaway" - later named
Rainbow Creek - passed through a number of privately owned farming properties. Remedial action proved ineffective, and the creek was enlarged by subsequent flooding to the size of several football fields - at the expense of the affected farmers’ lands.
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officer who had settled in the town some time before. He was known as a man of feisty temperament with little patience for the slow-turning wheels of government bureaucracy, and a flair for publicity.
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in the mid-1980s, from where he has since published several books of local history and poetry, whilst the issues that led to the
Rainbow Creek secession remained unresolved.
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One of the worst affected properties was
Yammacoona, located directly below the weir, and owned by Thomas Barnes since 1970. Barnes was a retired UK and Victorian
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A set of 1979 Rainbow Creek stamps showing Barnes, his secession document, and the creek at the centre of his troubles
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on the state of
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In an attempt to gain public sympathy Barnes and around thirty other farmers decided to declare
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It was founded as a result of a long-running compensation dispute between a group of
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How to Rule Your Own Country: The Weird and Wonderful World of Micronations
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403:. His secession document was lodged with the Victorian Governor, the
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and others in regards to the flooding of his and others' properties.
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by Bill Hornadge, pub Review Publications, Dubbo, NSW, 1st ed. 1982
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active during the 1970s and 80s, located in Cowwarr, a town on the
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Stamps and banknotes of the Independent State of Rainbow Creek
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Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations
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439:"If at first you don't secede...", by Mark Dapin,
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160:introducing citations to additional sources
1153:Micronations and the Search for Sovereignty
60:Learn how and when to remove these messages
1225:States and territories established in 1979
580:Most Serene Federal Republic of Montmartre
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96:. Please do not remove this message until
390:Barnes meanwhile had become aware of the
229:Learn how and when to remove this message
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
441:The Sydney Morning Herald - Good Weekend
341:State Rivers and Water Supply Commission
150:Relevant discussion may be found on the
92:Relevant discussion may be found on the
1073:International Micropatrological Society
19:For other uses of Rainbow Creek, see
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1115:Empire Me: New Worlds Are Happening!
1093:Organisation de la microfrancophonie
171:"Independent State of Rainbow Creek"
395:Downing, swore allegiance to Queen
397:Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
305:Independent State of Rainbow Creek
245:Independent State of Rainbow Creek
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41:This article has multiple issues.
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143:relies largely or entirely on a
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307:was an Australian secessionist
49:or discuss these issues on the
413:International Court of Justice
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1230:Former unrecognized countries
1145:How to Start Your Own Country
1137:How to Start Your Own Country
1129:How to Start Your Own Country
1078:League of Secessionist States
1063:Antarctic Micronational Union
1021:Sovereign Yidindji Government
748:People's Republic of Zhongtai
560:Global Country of World Peace
405:Governor-General of Australia
570:Kingdom of L'Anse-Saint-Jean
443:, 12 February 2005, pp 47–50
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98:conditions to do so are met
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447:Local Stamps of Australia
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16:Micronation in Australia
880:Republic of Rose Island
423:his farming community.
335:farmers in the town of
764:Islands of Refreshment
321:Government of Victoria
728:Morac-Songhrati-Meads
718:Keraton Agung Sejagat
575:Republic of Molossia
505:List of micronations
297:23 July 1979–present
156:improve this article
996:Murrawarri Republic
860:Other World Kingdom
713:Kingdom of Humanity
392:Hutt River Province
85:of this article is
1107:In popular culture
800:Elgaland-Vargaland
610:Operation Atlantis
294:Dates claimed
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971:Coral Sea Islands
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519:Kalakuta Republic
409:Buckingham Palace
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289:Thomas Barnes
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251:Unrecognized
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173: –
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167:Find sources:
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145:single source
141:This article
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1235:Micronations
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1160:Micro Nation
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1011:Whangamōmona
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743:Sunda Empire
625:Slowjamastan
585:New Atlantis
496:Micronations
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43:Please help
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1174:Rose Island
986:Marlborough
795:Christiania
708:Freedomland
687:Westarctica
682:Flandrensis
666:Parva Domus
661:Melchizedek
309:micronation
253:micronation
1209:Categories
1098:PoliNation
1006:Snake Hill
981:Hutt River
830:Kugelmugel
790:Austenasia
703:Akhzivland
675:Antarctica
590:New Utopia
434:References
428:Queensland
327:Background
212:April 2020
182:newspapers
106:April 2020
83:neutrality
46:improve it
1088:MicroWiki
956:Atlantium
920:Wallachia
870:Peščenica
845:Liberland
820:Frestonia
815:Filettino
635:Vikesland
600:Nova Roma
524:M'Simbati
417:The Hague
384:Melbourne
370:Secession
343:(SRWSC).
333:Victorian
280:Australia
152:talk page
94:talk page
52:talk page
1194:Category
1083:MicroCon
1047:Celestia
1042:Asgardia
966:Bumbunga
951:Aramoana
930:Wendland
925:Waveland
900:Tavolara
885:Saugeais
850:Llanrwst
825:Jamtland
769:Trinidad
640:Zaqistan
565:Islandia
555:Fredonia
550:Eastport
411:and the
380:governor
87:disputed
1056:Related
991:Minerva
976:EnenKio
939:Oceania
910:Vevčani
895:Seborga
890:Sealand
865:Perloja
840:Ladonia
810:Enclava
805:Elleore
723:Koneuwe
630:Talossa
620:Redonda
605:Nutopia
529:Reunion
399:as his
346:A road
337:Cowwarr
315:in the
196:scholar
1176:(film)
1147:(film)
1131:(book)
915:Verdis
905:Užupis
778:Europe
738:Sedang
512:Africa
364:police
348:bridge
198:
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169:
1068:Flags
961:Avram
855:Ongal
203:JSTOR
189:books
1139:(TV)
835:Laàs
696:Asia
303:The
175:news
80:The
415:in
382:in
376:war
158:by
1211::
1016:Wy
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