Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited

This article is about the micronation. For the territory at Rankins Springs, see Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba.

Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited ABN 24 159 318 859
Flag Common seal
Motto: ΠΑΤΡΙΔΑ ΚΑΙ ΓΟΝΕΙΣ (Greek: Homeland and Parents)
Map of Urabba Parks, September 2022
Status	Imvrassian Hegemony
Capital	Melbourne 37°48′51″S 144°57′47″E
Official languages	Urabbaparcensian English
Demonym(s)	Urabbaparcensian
Government	Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Enactor	D.J. Racovolis
• Manager-General	(vacant)
• Park Minister	(vacant)
Legislature	Parliament
Realisation of Independence
• Incorporation of Urabba Parks Pty Ltd	3 July 2012 (2012-07-03)
• Establishment of jurisdiction (adoption of the Constitution)	5 March 2021 (2021-03-05)
Area
• Total	1.310 km2 (0.506 sq mi)
• Water (%)	negligible
Population
• 2022 census	1
Currency	Australian dollar ($) (AUD)
Time zone	UTC+10 (Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC+11 (Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (AEDST))
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	left

Urabba Parks (/ˈjʊræbə/ /pɑːks/ ( (listen)) URE-a-bə pahrks), officially Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited, is an Australian micronation with the overarching purpose "to advance humanity and the environment together" through charitable democracy. Urabba Parks was incorporated on 3 July 2012, and established itself as a 'non-state jurisdiction' with the adoption of the current Constitution on 5 March 2021. Having a permanent territory of 1,310 square metres, Urabba Parks is affiliated with the Landcare movement and participates in the micronational community as a fully autonomous and de facto sovereign Imvrassian Hegemony.

Places associated with Urabba Parks have been inhabited by Indigenous Australians for approximately 65,000 years. Melbourne and Rankins Springs were settled by European Australians in the mid-19th century, and the history of both localities have been intertwined with the history of Urabba Parks. It was in Melbourne, a large city with a highly educated population, where the concept of charitable democracy was developed along with the Constitution of Urabba Parks. The rural and undeveloped state of Rankins Springs was what led to the founding Enactor Danny Racovolis purchasing the namesake territory of Urabba in 2011.

Politically, Urabba Parks is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy, comprising a virtual locale operated out of Melbourne and a territorial jurisdictional division at Urabba in Rankins Springs. There is provision for the admission of new regions and territories, being jurisdictional divisions with their own territory governance arrangements within the federal system. Subject to the legislative power of the Corporate Parliament, jurisdictional divisions are responsible for the affairs of Urabba Parks falling within the territory of their division, whether it be environmental protection activities on third-party properties or the governance of properties principally occupied by Urabba Parks falling in the division.

Since December 2012, Urabba Parks has been registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, entitling it to exemption from Australian income tax. Since June 2022, the charity has been participating in micronationalism as a Hegemony of the Empire of Imvrassia. Its territory in Rankins Springs, the Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba, is affiliated with the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis.

Etymology

Main article: Name of Urabba Parks

Urabba refers to the name of the street where the micronation is situated, and is a variation of the name of a nearby locality of Eurabba, which is a Wiradjuri word meaning "a boggy creek".

Parks refers to the operating model of "parks", which could include open spaces but also built environments for the purpose of providing charitable services such as health and education delivered by associated entities.

Proprietary (or Pty) refers to the fact Urabba Parks is a proprietary (private) company limited by shares under Australian company law. Although most charitable companies do not issue shares, and are incorporated as companies limited by guarantee, the Constitution of Urabba Parks provides for the surplus assets usually distributed among shareholders instead to be distributed to charities chosen by shareholders.

Limited (or Ltd) refers to the fact that under Australian company law, the members of Urabba Parks are not liable for its debts if the company winds up and is unable to pay them.

History

Main articles: History of Urabba Parks and Independence of Urabba Parks

Logo of Urabba Parks 2012 - 2020

Indigenous Australians have inhabited places associated with Urabba Parks for approximately 65,000 years. Melbourne in was founded as a city by Queen Victoria on 25 June 1847, and the city is home to many of the relatives of the founding Enactor Danny Racovolis, and is the seat of the Enactorial House of Racservia as well as the interim Seat of Government. Permanent settlement at the village of Rankins Springs in was established in 1869, with Racovolis purchasing the property in the village now forming Urabba County in 2011.

In early 2012, Racovolis decided to pursue what is now known in Urabba Parks as 'charitable democracy', having a charity nation delivering benefit to the wider community but also having a unique identity. Urabba Parks Pty Ltd was officially incorporated as a company on 3 July 2012, and was registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission on 3 December 2012.

Establishment of jurisdiction

Main article: Establishment of jurisdiction (Urabba Parks)

For the first 9 years of its existence, Urabba Parks was governed by a "conventional" charitable company constitution, which was slightly modified to allow for its status as a share issuing entity. The current Constitution came into force upon the establishment of jurisdiction on 5 March 2021, when the Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited Constitution Statute 2021 was officially enacted. The Constitution provides that the overarching purpose of Urabba Parks is to "to advance humanity and the environment together" through the development of charitable democracy. The Constitution also codified Urabba Parks character as being both "Hellenic" and "Landcare".

Integration into the Empire of Imvrassia

On 23 June 2022, Urabba Parks became a Hegemony of the Empire of Imvrassia, a Greek micronation established by Emperor Aggelos in 2011. The Enactor now holds the honorary title of Sebastokrator of Urabba Parks. The affiliation to Imvrassia is intended to advance the Hellenic character of Urabba Parks.

Flandrensian Ecological County

On 14 August 2022, the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis announced the creation of the Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba at Rankins Springs. A treaty was signed on 18 August authorising the creation of the County, which recognises the property as an ecological sanctuary under the Constitution of the Grand Duchy, while respecting the Traditional Ownership of the Wiradjuri people and the status of Urabba Parks as an Imvrassian Hegemony. As a sign of appreciation, Emperor Aggelos made Grand Duke Nicholas the Archon of the Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba

Geography and environment

Main articles: Geography of Urabba Parks and Environment of Urabba Parks

Urabba Parks has two localities in Australia, Melbourne, the capital and largest city of Victoria, where administration is effectively carried out and which serves as the interim capital, and Rankins Springs, a township located the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of the Riverina bioregion of New South Wales. The Constitution also provides for the formation of jurisdictional divisions (regions and territories) of Urabba Parks. The directly administered corporate jurisdiction is known as the Corporate Demesne of Urabba Parks (or Demesne), which does not have any permanent territory. The Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba (Urabba), which is located in Rankins Springs, is a territory of Urabba Parks. Activities done outside Rankins Springs are taken to occur in the Demesne. Online activities are taken to occur in Melbourne.

Section 116 of the Constitution of Urabba Parks provides that its overarching purpose is "to advance humanity and the environment together" and also declares "that in honour of Australia and its Indigenous people," the micronation has a "Landcare" character. Urabba Parks is a member of Landcare NSW Limited, a peak body for Landcarers in New South Wales. The national colours of Urabba Parks are green and gold to represent the influence of Australia, and are the colours of the Flag of Urabba Parks, which was adopted along with the Constitution on 5 March 2021.

Politics and government

Main articles: Politics of Urabba Parks, Urabbaparcensian legal system, and Government of Urabba Parks

The organisational structure of Urabba Parks

Urabba Parks has status in Australian law as Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited (usually abbreviated to Urabba Parks Pty Ltd) as a company registered under the Corporations Act 2001 of the Commonwealth of Australia and incorporated in the State of Victoria. Urabba Parks Pty Ltd is registered on the Australian Business Register (ABR) with the Australian Business Number 24 159 318 859. Urabba Parks Pty Ltd is also a registered charity under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 of the Commonwealth and is regulated by the ACNC.

Under intermicronational law, Urabba Parks an Imvrassian Hegemony under the name Hegemony of Urabba Parks.

Urabba Parks Pty Ltd is governed by a Constitution, which establishes it as a "non-state jurisdiction" with its own legal system, a Parliament, Executive Government and Judicature. The jurisdiction is created by the agreement of jurisdiction, which is contained in subsection 7(2) of the Constitution, which provides that each party agrees to appear before judicial bodies in the case of "answering any charge of an offence against the law of Urabba Parks, or any appeals from any judgment, order or sanction so given in respect of a proceeding", and to public arbitration of matters arising under the law of Urabba Parks.

Monarchy

Main articles: Monarchy of Urabba Parks and Manager-General of Urabba Parks

Daniel Racovolis reigns as Enactor of Urabba Parks by virtue of holding foundation in Urabba Parks through his holding company, D.J. Racovolis Services Pty Ltd, also known as the Enactorial House of Racservia. The Enactorship is, under the law of Urabba Parks, known as the Management, making it the equivalent of the Crown in Commonwealth legal systems. The Enactor's designated representative in Urabba Parks by the Manager-General at the corporate level and by the managers at the divisional level, who by convention act on the advice of the ministers. Thus, in practice the Manager-General acts as a legal figurehead for the actions of the Park Minister and the Proprietary Council.

Directors

Main article: Directors of Urabba Parks

The directors of Urabba Parks include:

• Honorary Directors: Honorary Managers (including the Enactor) are appointed directors upon giving consent to their appointment
• Legislative directors: Each member of the Houses of the Parliament is appointed a legislative director
• Judicial directors: Each Director of the Court of Directors is appointed a judicial director

Federation and jurisdictional divisions

Main articles: Jurisdictional divisions of Urabba Parks, Regions of Urabba Parks, and Territories of Urabba Parks

The Constitution establishes a federal system of government. Under a federal system, powers are distributed between a central government and constituent jurisdictional divisions. In Urabba Parks, that distribution is between Urabba Parks and its regions and territories. Urabba Parks has one non-territorial corporate jurisdiction, the Corporate Demesne of Urabba Parks, and one territory with a physical location, the Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba, established on 4 September 2022.

Parliament

Main article: Parliament of Urabba Parks

Legislative power is vested in the Parliament of Urabba Parks which consists of the monarch (represented by the Manager-General) and the Houses of Parliament established under the law of Urabba Parks. As of 3 August 2022, the only House of Parliament designated in law is the House of Ordinaries.

The Parliament has the power to make laws in many areas such as revenue items (membership fees, income levies from associated entities), external affairs, conduct of member proceedings and the management of entities formed within Urabba Parks.

Executive

Main article: Urabbaparcensian Government

The Executive Government of Urabba Parks consists numerous components, including:

• the Proprietary Council, which in practice gives legal effect to the decisions of the cabinet, comprising the Park Minister and other ministers of corporation appointed by the manager-general on the advice of Parliament
• Departments of Corporation, headed by Ministers of Corporation
• the external service, including representatives and consultants accredited to other jurisdictions
• the Urabbaparcensian Defence Service, the main corporate operating arm
• the law enforcement service, that enforces corporate laws
• the corporate service, which is the civil service for Urabba Parks
• consultative bodies of the Government, which are comprised of stakeholders who advise ministers and government entities

Some agencies of the Executive Government are in the independent management service, with constitutional protection against removal by the responsible minister without the recommendation of the Parliament of Urabba Parks.

Judiciary

Main articles: Judiciary of Urabba Parks and Court of Directors of Urabba Parks

Each person who enters Urabba Parks or becomes a member is subject to the agreement of jurisdiction contained in the Constitution, which requires a person to appear when required as an accused or to give evidence to judicial bodies when required.

The judicial system is headed by the Court of Directors. The minister responsible for the judiciary is the Advocate-General, the Corporate Government's Chief Law Officer. The Directors of the Court are directors and charity trustees of Urabba Parks, and are appointed by the Manager-General in Council upon presentation of a member holding service membership (redeemable preference shares) of Urabba Parks.

The Parliament also has the power to create other courts, which also consist of judicial officers appointed upon presentation of service members with rights of presentation to the Manager-General in Council for appointment as a member of the court. In most cases the presenter is the judicial officer themselves, however in some cases another person or a company may present a qualified person for appointment. While the Manager-General in Council is not obliged to appoint a person so presented, the cessation of the presentation of an incumbent judicial officer by the presenter has the effect of ceasing the appointment. The Constitution provides for the admission of corporate advocates to the Urabbaparcensian Bar presented by a service member and of visiting advocates to represent parties to judicial proceedings in the courts.

Urabbaparcensian Governance Service

Main article: Urabbaparcensian Governance Service

There is an independent governance service (known as the Urabbaparcensian Governance Service (UGS)) which is headed by the Visitatorial Commission, and includes other agencies such as Inquiries Urabba Parks (which conducts Enactorial Commissions, similar to Royal Commissions in Australia). Senior members of the Urabbaparcensian Governance Service are removable only with a vote of the Houses of the Parliament on the advice of the Visitatorial Commission. The Visitatorial Commission also reports to Parliament on its parliamentary performance in relation to adherence to Chapter 9 of the Constitution (including the Urabba Parks Bill of Rights), matters raised by the independent governance service, distribution of surpluses through charity distributions and matters referred to it by Parliament.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Urabba Parks

Urabba Parks participates in the micronational community as a Hegemony of the Empire of Imvrassia, a status obtained on 23 June 2022. The micronational diplomatic relations of Urabba Parks are the responsibility of the Emperor of Imvrassia. As a Hegemony, On 18 August 2022, Urabba Parks entered into the Treaty on the Establishment of the Flandrensian Ecological County (Sanctuary) of Urabba with the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis, which enabled the creation of the territory at Rankins Springs.

Defence

Main articles: Urabba Parks Operations Network and Urabbaparcensian Defence Service

The Urabba Parks Operations Network (UPON), which includes branches of the Urabbaparcensian Defence Service (UDS) and private services, contributes to the civil defence of Australia and its regional and global allies through environmental protection and rejuvenation, research and safety. UPON has designated branches in land, water, air, space and cyber spheres. The responsible minister for the UDS is the Minister of Operations who administers the Department of Operations which along with the UDS forms the Urabbaparcensian Defence Organisation.

The Urabbaparcensian Defence Service

Sphere	Branch	Purpose
Urabba Parks Land Service (UPLS)	Urabbaparcensian Army	Landcare operations, mainly outside Urabba Parks and with the landholder's consent
	Urabba Parks Ranger Service (UPRS)	Landcare operations and park user management, mainly within Urabba Parks (with an option to deploy to other landholders when needed)
Urabba Parks Nautical Service (UPNS)	Enactorial Urabbaparcensian Navy (EUN)	Water-based environmental protection and research activities and logistical support to other branches
	Urabba Parks Coastcare Service (UPCS)	Coastcare operations, mainly outside Urabba Parks and with the landholder's consent
	Urabba Parks Surf Life Saving (UPSLS)	Small boat patrols and assistance to surf life saving clubs
Urabba Parks Space Operations Group (UPSOG)	Enactorial Urabbaparcensian Air Service (EUAS)	Air-based environmental protection and research activities and logistical support to other branches
	Enactorial Urabbaparcensian Outer Space Service (EUOSS)	Space-based environmental protection and research activities and logistical support to other branches
	Enactorial Urabbaparcensian Cyber Service (EUCS)	Protection of information and communications technology resources

Local government

Campus government in Urabba Parks is mentioned in the Constitution. A municipal district of Urabba Parks, the Campus of Rankins Springs, has local authority in the affairs of Urabba Parks in the township including in the Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Urabba Parks

Urabba Parks is exempt from Australian income tax as a charitable institution as it is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. As a registered charity, Urabba Parks must be not-for-profit and work towards its charitable purpose, and must be able to demonstrate this and provide information about its purposes to the public. The main charitable object of Urabba Parks is to operate the Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba for the benefit of the general public. The main activities of Urabba Parks include Landcare and civil defence operations through the Urabba Parks Operations Network.

Badge of the Urabba Parks Ranger Service

Capital structure

Main article: Capital structure of Urabba Parks

Urabba Parks Pty Ltd is limited by shares, meaning that the liability of members is limited to the amount (if any) unpaid on their shares. Most shares are issued 'paid up' with no such liability. This is in contrast with most charitable companies which are limited by guarantee and do not have a share structure. As of 8 September 2022, the sole member of Urabba Parks Pty Ltd is D.J. Racovolis Services Proprietary Limited (as the Enactorial House of Racservia).

In the capital structure of Urabba Parks, there are four types of membership:

• Honorary membership (bonus shares), being paid up from retained earnings
• Service membership (redeemable preference shares), being redeemable (i.e. repayable) to the shareholder for the amount paid up upon winding up or on the shareholder's request, with applications for redemption being placed in a redemption queue
• Patron membership (non-redeemable preference shares), where the shareholder has the right to nominate the amount paid up on the shares to their chosen charity upon winding up
• Ordinary membership, where shareholders are entitled to chose the charities to receive assets remaining net assets after the payment of debts (including those related to service membership) to their charities in proportion to their shareholding.

Charity distributions

Main article: Charity distributions by Urabba Parks

Urabba Parks is required to distribute its net assets after the payment of debts (including those related to service membership) to charities upon winding-up, and not pay any dividends. However upon dissolution the funds are divided among recipient charities nominated by ordinary members in proportion to their shareholding, subject to the special rights of patron members. In addition, there is a system in Urabba Parks, known as charity distributions, where by Urabba Parks may declare an amount as a charity distribution, apply it to giving accounts and giving pools allocated to members. Funds in giving accounts and giving pools are then paid to charities nominated by the members.

Tourism

Main article: Urabbaparcensian border

The Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba in Rankins Springs (listed in some maps as Urabba Street Reserve, Urabba Parks Pty Ltd - Rankins Springs campus and Urabba Street Landcare) is open to the public all days of the year, and a person may enter provided the person is not excluded, suspended or disqualified from the proceedings of Urabba Parks under Urabbaparcensian law. Although Urabba is open 24 hours a day, park users are advised not to loiter in or around the territory after dark or in the early hours of the morning as to avoid disturbing local residents.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Urabba Parks

Greater Arms of the Hegemony of Urabba Parks

The founder of Urabba Parks, Danny Racovolis, in honour of his grandfather J.P. Racovolis, declared in the Constitution his intention the micronation has a Hellenic character in terms of ethnicity. Urabba Parks is affiliated with another micronation located in Greece, the Empire of Imvrassia, as a Hegemony. The affiliation with Imvrassia is intended to advance the Hellenic character of Urabba Parks. However, as an environmental charity, Urabba Parks does not have any permanent inhabitants of territory under its jurisdiction, and as such the private residences of Urabbaparcensians are not considered part of the micronation's integral territory. For the purposes of law of the Empire of Imvrassia, the population of the Hegemony of Urabba Parks consists of Racovolis as Sebastokrator of the Hegemony, along with other people declared by Urabba Parks to be part of its population. The Constitution provides for the declaration of Urabbaparcensian Associates, however membership of Urabba Parks is also required to vote in elections.

Many of the national symbols of Urabba Parks reflect the declared intentions of Danny Racovolis as founder of Urabba Parks. The house mark, the Urabbaparcensian Cross, is a is a monogrammatic cross or Staurogram (which is a typographic ligature composed of a superposition of the Greek letters tau (Τ) and rho (Ρ)), with the 'T' joined by a demi-circle. The Greater Arms of the Hegemony of Urabba Parks is an emblem featuring a chevron of five Commonwealth Stars between three Urabbaparcensian Crosses, surmounted by the Enactorial Arms of Urabba Parks and supported by two human figures, namely a Greek Orthodox Archbishop and Pallas Athena (Lady Urabbanakis). The 'crest' on top of the Greater Arms also features the motto of Urabba Parks, ΠΑΤΡΙΔΑ ΚΑΙ ΓΟΝΕΙΣ (Greek: Homeland and Parents), a golden cross encircled in a wreath, and two flags, the Flag of the Empire of Imvrassia and the flag of charitable democracy which includes the club of Hercules with three crosses, based on the 19th century proposal for a symbol for the Hellenic Republic by Rigas Feraios.

Language

Main article: Languages of Urabba Parks

The main language of Urabba Parks is Urabbaparcensian English, a slightly modified version of Australian English, however this does not have any official legal status. There has also information relating to the micronation published in the Italian language. The adjective or demonym for Urabba Parks, Urabbaparcensian, is based on the Latin form of the name of Urabba Parks (Urabbaparcus). Urabba Parks is known in the Korean language as 우랍바공원 (ulabbagong-won) or a literal translation of 우랍바박스 (ulabbabagseu).

Religion

Main article: Religion in Urabba Parks

Under section 116 of the Constitution, the Parliament cannot mandate religious observance or a religious test for its members. However, the Constitution also designates an entity, the Church in Urabba Parks, which claims to be under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, with St Paul the Apostle as the patron saint of Urabba Parks.

Culture and media

Main articles: Culture of Urabba Parks, Media of Urabba Parks, and Sport in Urabba Parks

Urabba Parks logo

The culture of Urabba Parks is primarily an Australian culture, originally derived from United Kingdom but also influenced by the unique geography of Urabba Parks and the cultural input of Aboriginal and other Greek people. As an environmental organisation, Urabba Parks bases its cultural developments in circularity, reusing existing materials and methods where practicable. Circularity is present in Urabbaparcensian art through the practice of reusing existing materials and methods, where practicable, in representing the contemporary nature of the Flandrensian Ecological County of Urabba in Rankins Springs and the aspirations of Urabba Parks as a micronation.

Urabba Parks operates the Australian Legislation Website, which provides links to Australian legal resources (in addition to providing authorised versions of Urabbaparcensian Government laws for download), in addition to a number of social media channels. The micronation has an active sporting program which is instrumental in helping build relations in the intermicronational community. On 12 July 2022, the Enactor entered an association football team in the 2022/23 season of the MicroNations League Cup. On 15 August 2022, Urabba Parks was admitted as a member of the Micronationalist Martial Arts Association.

See also

• Outline of Urabba Parks
• Index of Urabba Parks-related articles

Notes

1. ^ Under section 125 of the Constitution, the Parliament sits at Melbourne until a Seat of Government is determined by Parliament or some other place chosen by the Manager‑General.

2. ^ Urabbaparcensian English is a de facto official language due to its widespread use.

3. ^ There is no official all-numeric date format for Urabba Parks, but government recommendations generally follow Australian date and time notation.

Bibliography

Main article: Bibliography of Urabba Parks

• Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited, Advocate-General's Department, (commissioning body.); Urabbaparcensian Company Secretary (2021), The Constitution as in force on 5 March 2021 : together with resolution adopting the Constitution, proclamation declaring the establishment of jurisdiction, letters patent relating to the grant of Arms and Crest to Daniel James Racovolis, Gentleman, Constitution (Manager‑General) Letters Patent 2021 as in force on 5 March 2021, Racomedia, retrieved 11 October 2022CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
• Racovolis, Daniel James; Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited, (commissioning body.) (2022), Introductory Speech and Explanatory Memorandum to the Urabba Parks Proprietary Limited Constitution Bill 2021, Racomedia, retrieved 18 September 2022

External links

• Official website
• Urabba Parks News profile on Twitter
• Facebook profile
• LinkedIn profile
• ACNC Charity register >> Urabba Parks Pty Ltd
• Australian Legislation Website