McGrath & Anor v Campbell & Anor [2006] NSWCA 180

Reported Decision : 68 NSWLR 229 (2006) NSW ConvR 56-159

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: McGrath & Anor v Campbell & Anor [2006] NSWCA 180

HEARING DATE(S): 15/6/06

JUDGMENT DATE: 7 July 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Giles JA at 1; Hodgson JA at 2; Tobias JA at 6

DECISION: a) Appeal allowed; b) Set aside the declaration and orders made by Barrett J on 29 June 2005; c) The proceedings be dismissed; d) The respondents pay the appellants' costs of the proceedings at first instance and of the appeal but to have with respect to the latter a certificate under the Suitor's Fund Act 1951, if otherwise qualified

CATCHWORDS: EQUITY – equitable estates and interests – easement – implied easement created by Wheeldon v Burrows extended by Aldridge v Wright – effect of transfer of title under the Real Property Act 1900 – simultaneous transfers of title from a single vendor to separate purchasers – whether easement enforceable against successors in title – whether personal equity or right enforceable in personam exists between purchasers – REAL PROPERTY – easements – Torrens Title land – equitable easement – simultaneous transfer of tenements to different parties – whether equitable Wheeldon v Burrows easement can survive transfer to vendor's successor in title – effect of registration under Real Property Act 1900

Conveyancing Act 1919 LEGISLATION CITED: Land Transfer Act 1952 (NZ) Real Property Act 1900, s 42 Suitor's Fund Act 1951

Aldridge v Wright [1929] 2 KB 117 Australian Hi-Fi Publications Pty Ltd v Gehl [1979] 2 NSWLR 618 Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 604 Breskvar v Wall (1971) 126 CLR 376 British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd v Armstrong Patents Co Ltd [1986] AC 577 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha v Green Cartridge Co (Hong Kong) Ltd [1997] AC 728 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW (1982) 149 CLR 337 Crook v Hill LR 6 Ch 311 Dobbie v Davidson (1991) 23 NSWLR 625 Douglas v Baynes (1908) AC 477 Frazer v Walker [1967] 1 AC 569 Grgic v Australian & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (1994) 33 NSWLR 202 Hamlyn v. Wood [1891] 2 QB 488 Hansford v Jago [1921] 1 Ch 322 CASES CITED: Horsfall v Braye (1908) 7 CLR 629 Howitt v Fitzgerald (1898) 24 VLR 287 Kebewar Pty Ltd v Harkin (1987) 9 NSWLR 738 Maralinga Pty Ltd v Major Enterprises Pty Ltd (1973) 128 CLR 336 Mayer v Coe [1968] 2 NSWR 747 Mercantile Mutual Life Insurance Co Ltd v Gosper (1991) 25 NSWLR 32 Nelson v Walker (1910) 10 CLR 560 Pwllbach Colliery Co v Woodman [1915] AC 634 Sovmots Investments Ltd v Secretary of State for the Environment [1979] AC 144 Story v Advance Bank Australia Ltd (1993) 31 NSWLR 722 Tarrant v Zandstra (1973) 1 BPR 9381 Wheeldon v Burrows [1879] 12 Ch D 31 Vassos v State Bank of South Australia [1992] V Conv R 54- 443 Wilcox v Richardson (1997) 43 NSWLR 4 Wilkinson v Adam 1 V&B 422 Williams v State Transit Authority (2004) 60 NSWLR 286