Jeffery v Adams [2023] NSWSC 1270

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Jeffery v Adams [2023] NSWSC 1270 Hearing dates: 25 – 26 September 2023 Decision date: 27 October 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Real Property List Before: Peden J Decision: See [158] Catchwords: LAND LAW — Easements — Creation of easements — Creation by order of court — Application for easement under s 88K of the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) for right of carriageway — Plaintiffs are owners of rural land and defendants are neighbours — Where plaintiffs have the benefit of an existing right of carriageway to access paddock that is otherwise practically inaccessible — Where obstruction caused by construction of a dam — Whether plaintiffs have a right to deviate around obstruction — Whether proposed easement reasonably necessary for effective use and development of plaintiffs' land Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) ss 88B, 88K Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 53 Cases Cited: 117 York Street Pty Ltd v Proprietors of Strata Plan No. 16123 (1998) 43 NSWLR 504 Bland v Levi (2000) 9 BPR 17,517 Campbell v Baigent (2010) 15 BPR 28,959; [2010] NSWSC 1348 Castagna v Great Wall Resources Pty Ltd (2005) 12 BPR 23,363; [2005] NSWSC 942 Christopherson v Bare (1848) 11 QB 473 Clough v Breen (No 4) [2023] NSWSC 1155 Crawley v Baxter (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 955 Debbula Pty Ltd v The Owners – Strata Plan 6954 (2003) 12 BPR 22,617; [2003] NSWSC 189 Gordon v Lever (2019) 101 NSWLR 427 Grattan v Simpson (1998) 9 BPR 16,649 Hanny v Lewis (1998) 9 BPR 16,205 Hare v van Brugge (2013) 84 NSWLR 41; [2013] NSWCA 74 Hemmes Hermitage Pty Ltd v Abdurahman (1991) 22 NSWLR 343 Khattar v Wiese (2005) 12 BPR 23,235; [2005] NSWSC 1014 King v Carr-Gregg [2002] NSWSC 379 Marshall v Council of the City of Wollongong (2000) 10 BPR 18,163; [2000] NSWSC 137 McGrath v Mestousis (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 32 Moorebank Recyclers Pty Ltd v Tanlane Pty Ltd (2012) 16 BPR 31,257; [2012] NSWCA 445 Mulder v Laura Holdings Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 812 Owners Strata Plan 13635 v Ryan (2006) 12 BPR 23,485; [2006] NSWSC 221 Plenty v Dillon (1991) 171 CLR 635 Rainbowforce Pty Ltd v Skyton Holdings Pty Ltd (2010) 15 BPR 29,367; [2010] NSWLEC 2 Smethurst v Commissioner of Police (2020) 376 ALR 575 Smith v Woodley-Beattie [2009] NSWSC 380 Studholme v Rawson (2020) 102 NSWLR 490; [2020] NSWCA 76 Swann v Spiropoulos [2006] NSWSC 1016 Trewin v Felton [2007] NSWSC 851 Texts Cited: Fiona Burns, 'Court Imposed Easements in the Australian Torrens System: Are the Rights of Servient Owners Adequately Protected?' in Lyria Bennett Moses, Brendan Edgeworth and Cathy Sherry, Property and Security: Selected Essays (2010, Lawbook Co) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Trevor Jeffery (First Plaintiff) Dina Jeffery (Second Plaintiff) Ronald Adams (First Defendant) Kay Adams (Second Defendant) Edward Adams (Third Defendant) Nicole Atkinson (Fourth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: T Alexis SC and B Michael (Plaintiffs)