Townsend v Waverley Council [2001] NSWSC 384

Reported Decision : 120 LGERA 224

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Townsend v Waverley Council [2001] NSWSC 384 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Civil Equity Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 2025/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 03/05/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 May 2001

Stewart Allen Townsend - Plaintiff PARTIES : Waverley Council - Defendant The Registrar-General - Second Defendant JUDGMENT OF : Barrett J

COUNSEL : Mr D.H. Murr SC - Plaintiff Mr P.J. McEwen SC - Defendant Holman Webb - Plaintiff SOLICITORS : M.E. McMahon & Associates - Defendant Second Defendant - Submitting appearance CATCHWORDS : TITLE TO LAND - Title to part of public park claimed by adverse possession - whether "land of the Crown" - whether "dedicated under ... any ... Act" - whether Torrens title land reverting to Crown ownership before 1980 has "registered proprietor" - cumulative possession by several persons - whether owner consented to possession. Act 44 Victoria No 16 Public Parks Act of 1884 Public Parks Act 1902 Public Parks Act 1912 Crown lands and Other Acts (Reserves) Amendment Act 1974 Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913 LEGISLATION CITED : Public Trusts Act 1897 Crown Lands Act 1989 Real Property Act 1900 Evidence Act 1995 Limitation Act 1969 Real Property Limitation Act 1833 (Imp) Crown Suits Act 1769 (Imp) (Nullum Tempus Act) Act 8 Wm 4 No 3 Ex parte Collins (1914) 14 SR (NSW) 31 Randwick Municipal Council v Thompson (1943) 15 LGRA 15 Watsons Bay and South Shore Ferry Co Ltd v Whitfield (1919) 27 CLR 268 Sydney City Council v Reid (1994) 34 NSWLR 506 Eurobodalla Shire Council v Registrar General [2000] NSWSC 1196 Council of Municipality of Kogarah v Southern Sydney Area Health Service NSWCA, 9 October 1992 Forster Homes For the Aged Trust v Great Lakes Shire Council [1976] 1 NSWLR 577 CASES CITED : Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (1997) 41 NSWLR 459 Pratten v Warringah Shire Council (1969) 90 WN (NSW) (Pt 1) 134 Allders International Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (1995) 186 CLR 659 Launceston Croporation v The Hydro-Electric Authority (1959) 100 CLR 654 State Electricity Commission of Victoria v City of South Melbourne (1968) 118 CLR 504 Re North Sydney Council (1997) LGERA 227 Vale v Whiddon (1950) 50 SR (NSW) 90 Attorney-General v Love [1898] AC 679 Mulcahy v Curramore Pty Ltd [1974] 2 NSWLR 464 DECISION : Summons dismissed with costs.