It is one of several Mid North streams visited in early April 1839 by explorer
John Hill. Hill named the river after
Sir William Hutt, who was one of the South Australian Colonization Commissioners in London. Sir William's brother
John Hutt was originally recommended to become the first Governor of South Australia, but he turned it down in favour of
John Hindmarsh. John Hutt later became
Governor of Western Australia from 1839 until 1846. Hill traced the Hutt downstream to just below the present town of
Clare. In late May 1839, based upon information supplied by Hill, the explorer
Edward John Eyre followed in Hill's footsteps, tracing it downstream to its junction with the
Broughton River. ==See also==