McFarland v Gertos [2018] NSWSC 1629

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: McFarland v Gertos [2018] NSWSC 1629 Hearing dates: 8-9 October 2018 Date of orders: 30 October 2018 Decision date: 30 October 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Darke J Decision: Amended Summons is dismissed with costs. Catchwords: LAND LAW – possessory title – registered proprietor of land died intestate in 1947 – no grant of administration – defendant takes possession of property in 1998 – defendant has since acted as landlord of the land – in 2017 defendant makes application to Registrar-General to become registered proprietor – descendants of registered proprietor seek declaration that defendant is not entitled to obtain possessory title to land – title of registered proprietor would be extinguished by the Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) if it applied to the land – defendant entitled to obtain possessory title Legislation Cited: Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 21 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), s 11, s 27, s 29, s 31, s 38, s 52, s 65 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), s 44 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 45C, s 45D, s 45E, s 122, s 124 Cases Cited: Abbatangelo v Whittlesea City Council [2007] VSC 529; (2008) V Conv R 54-750 Atsas v Gertsch [1998] NSWSC 522 Bartlett v Ryan [2000] NSWSC 807 Chetty v Chetty [1916] 1 AC 603 GEL Custodians Pty Ltd v The Estate of the late Geoffrey Francis Wells [2013] NSWSC 973 Guthrie v Spence (2009) 78 NSWLR 225; [2009] NSWCA 369 Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539 Hewitt v Gardner [2009] NSWSC 705 J A Pye (Oxford) Ltd v Graham [2003] 1 AC 419; [2002] UKHL 30 Mulcahy v Curramore Pty Ltd [1974] 2 NSWLR 464 Official Receiver in Bankruptcy v Schultz (1990) 170 CLR 306 Powell v McFarlane (1979) 38 P&CR 452 Refina Pty Ltd v Binnie [2010] NSWCA 192 Roberts v Swangrove Estates Ltd [2007] EWHC 513 (Ch) South Maitland Railways Pty Ltd v Satellite Centres Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 716 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lucy Joyce McFarland (First Plaintiff) Graeme Hugo (Second Plaintiff) Colin Charles Hugo (Third Plaintiff) Bill Gertos (First Defendant) Registrar-General of NSW (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr C Stomo (Plaintiffs) Mr P C Tomasetti SC with Ms M Carpenter (First Defendant)