News Archives

1. PAPER CERTIFICATES OF TITLE – GOING GOING

   Posted: November 5 2016

   Victoria Government Gazette No. S315 Thursday 13 October 2016 Transfer of Land Act 1958 “By this notice, the Registrar of Titles declares the following class of paper certificates of title to be void and of no effect on and from 22 October 2016 under section 27BAA of the Transfer of Land Act 1958: All paper certificates […]

2. Long form article on Adverse Possession

   Posted: August 24 2016

   The test for acquiring title by adverse possession has not changed in many years. However, the application of that test is complex, taking into account a variety of situations that may affect a claim such as knowledge of the possessor and concurrent rights over the land. Adverse possession is the possession of land by someone […]

3. Trolling through The Argus – 1879

   Posted: August 10 2016

   In the case of Jones v. M the plaintiff sued for obstruction to a right-of way at West Melbourne. The plaintiff relied upon a certificate of title, which showed his title to the right-of-way, and the Court held that under the act passed last Session this gave him an indefeasible title to have the right-of-way […]

4. 1870 – Tenant at will of land

   Posted: August 9 2016

   An important decision was given in the Equity Court yesterday (sic), by Mr. Justice Molesworth, in Robertson v. Keith, affecting the value of certificates of title under the Transfer of Land Statute, which have been generally supposed to be unimpeachable, except by claims under adverse possession for 15 years. In April, 1865, one James Western […]

5. By 1877 Victoria had been well and truly surveyed

   Posted: July 30 2016

   The counties of Victoria are names of the divisions used in Victoria, Australia, for land administration purposes. Victoria is divided into 37 counties, which were gazetted in stages between 1849 and 1871 as Victoria was progressively opened up to British settlement.  Victoria’s counties have no administrative or political function. They exist purely as cadastral units: used […]

6. the Greatest Adverse Possession claim in the history of Melbourne

   Posted: July 23 2016

       A very early hand drawn map of Port Phillip c 1830s by William Thomas, Protector showing European and Aboriginal names including his record for the Aboriginal name for Port Phillip, more commonly known as Nerm or Neerim

7. Melbourne Town Port Phillip 1841

   Posted: July 23 2016

     thank you Google Arts & Culture – click on image to zoom in for detail

8. Onions, cauliflowers, cabbages, and potatoes

   Posted: July 18 2016

   McKinnon in the early days 1850 to 1900 was market gardens. Joe Lees inherited his father’s land (c 1874) and was quite successful racing his horses, using the bush track behind the Hotel on the corner of East Boundary and Centre Roads for training. A family member remembers him and friends lighting cigars with pound notes […]

9. Sir Thomas Bent lives on

   Posted: July 15 2016

   The King is dead, long live the King!   Sir Thomas Bent late of Bay Street Brighton formerly of Hampton Street, St Andrews Street and Dendy Street (or Road) in the Borough of Brighton Parish of Moorabin County of Bourke, Colony of Victoria Member of Parliament, Mayor of Brighton, Gentleman, Land Speculator died 1909. Still today, […]

10. Govt hitting the brakes on foreign buyers

    Posted: June 30 2016

    Has the Victorian State Government just touched the brakes or slammed on the brakes bringing demand from overseas buyers of local property to a screeching halt? As from 1 July 2016, any new contracts for sale of a new residential property (e.g a brand new apartment), the foreign purchaser will be up for a 7% […]