Chiu v Healey [2003] NSWSC 857

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Chiu v Healey [2003] NSWSC 857 HEARING DATE(S) : 23, 24 July 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 18 September 2003 JURISDICTION: Equity Division JUDGMENT OF : Young CJ in Eq DECISION : Verdict for the plaintiff. Defendant to pay costs of proceedings, including the cross claim.

CATCHWORDS : REAL PROPERTY [407] [415] [434]- Easements- Right of footway- Old System land- Deed creating easement not effective at law because not created by mortgagee, who had legal estate- However, when deed recorded on register then this conferred indefeasibility- Difference in juristic natures of easements and restrictive covenants- What constitutes abandonment of an easement- How to determine a terminus ad quem- Whether easement should be extinguished. Access to Neighbouring Lands Act 2000, Part 2 LEGISLATION CITED : Conveyancing Act 1919, ss 88, 89 Real Property Act 1900, s 51 Brunton v Hall (1841) 1 QB 792; 113 ER 1334 Butler v Muddle (1995) 6 BPR 13,984 Dabbs v Seaman (1925) 36 CLR 538 Doe d Strode v Seaton (1835) 2 CM & R 728; 150 ER 308 Gotobed v Pridmore (1970) 115 SJ 78 Green v James (1840) 6 M & W 656; 151 ER 575 Grill v Hockey (1991) BPR 11421 Hose v Cobden [1921] VLR 617 Jennison v Traficante (1980) 1 BPR 9657 Keene v Carter (1994) 12 WAR 20 Lolakis v Konitsas (2002) 11 BPR 20 CASES CITED : Papadopoulos v Goodwin [1982] 1 NSWLR 413 Parramore v Duggan (1995) 183 CLR 633 Petty v Parsons [1914] 2 Ch 653 PSP 9968 v PSP 11173 [1979] 2 NSWLR 605 Re Alexandra [1980] VR 55 Re Mason (1960) 78 WN (NSW) 925 Simpson v Gowers (1981) 121 DLR (3d) 709 Swan v Sinclair [1925] AC 227 Treweeke v 36 Wolseley Road Pty Ltd (1973) 128 CLR 274 Vaneris v Kemeny (1977) 1 BPR 9655 Williams v Usherwood (1983) 45 P & CR 235 Zenere v Leate (1980) 1 BPR 9300 PARTIES : Phillip King Chiu (P) Kaye Laraine Healey (D) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 5728/01 COUNSEL : J C Thompson (P) M J Heath (D) SOLICITORS : Chris Lai & Associates (P) Harrington Maguire & O'Brien (D)