Development of Land−Title Registration Systems − A Developed Country Experience Australia Table of Contents Development of Land−Title Registration Systems − A Developed Country Experience Australia............1 FOREWORD..........................................................................................................................................1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................................2 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................3 I. NEW SOUTH WALES BEGINNINGS..................................................................................................4 A. Allocation of land.........................................................................................................................5 B. Registration of deeds...................................................................................................................5 Sources............................................................................................................................................6 II. THE SYSTEM OF SURVEYS.............................................................................................................6 A. The functions of the system.........................................................................................................6 B. Creation of parcels by the Crown................................................................................................6 C. Creation of parcels after alienation and lodgement of plans.......................................................7 D. Land identifiers..........................................................................................................................11 E. General boundaries...................................................................................................................15 F. Accurate surveys defining boundaries.......................................................................................15 G. Isolated surveys........................................................................................................................21 H. To end the isolation?.................................................................................................................21 I. Boundary disputes resolution......................................................................................................21 J. Identification surveys..................................................................................................................22 III. THE COMMON LAW TITLE SYSTEM............................................................................................23 A. General......................................................................................................................................23 B. What is a deed?.........................................................................................................................23 C. The chain of title........................................................................................................................24 D. Description of land.....................................................................................................................24 E. Registration................................................................................................................................25 F. Covenants..................................................................................................................................25 G. Exceptions, reservations and easements..................................................................................26 H. Indexing of deeds......................................................................................................................26 I. Duties of the Registrar−General..................................................................................................26 J. Searching Common Law titles....................................................................................................27 K. The Common Law system and the cadastre.............................................................................28 L. Current status of the General Register......................................................................................28 IV. THE REAL PROPERTY ACT SYSTEM..........................................................................................29 A. Torrens, the originator...............................................................................................................30 B. The Registrar−General’s powers...............................................................................................31 C. The Register..............................................................................................................................32 D. The survey base........................................................................................................................45 E. The Assurance Fund.................................................................................................................47 F. The certificate of title..................................................................................................................48 G. Land descriptions/categories.....................................................................................................49 H. Title Diagrams...........................................................................................................................51 I. Registration of dealings and plans..............................................................................................53 J. The lodgement system...............................................................................................................54 K. The processing system..............................................................................................................55 L. Quality review.............................................................................................................................64 M. Total Quality Commitment (TQC)..............................................................................................64 N. Public records............................................................................................................................65 O. Lodgement statistics..................................................................................................................67 P. Training......................................................................................................................................68 Q. Problem areas...........................................................................................................................69 R. Making a transfer.......................................................................................................................70 S. Management of the system.......................................................................................................71 T. Customary rights and tenures....................................................................................................72 Sources..........................................................................................................................................74 V. THE MAPPING AND CHARTING SYSTEMS..................................................................................78 A. The Mapping System.................................................................................................................78 B. The charting system..................................................................................................................82 C. Real Property Act searching......................................................................................................84 VI. THE CADASTRE.............................................................................................................................95 A. Title conversion procedures.......................................................................................................96 i Table of Contents Development of Land−Title Registration Systems − A Developed Country Experience Australia B. Primary Applications..................................................................................................................97 C. Issue of qualified titles.............................................................................................................101 D. Issue of limited titles................................................................................................................105 E. Issue of “non−qualified” titles...................................................................................................107 F. Raising of essential records on conversion.............................................................................107 G. Funding of conversion actions.................................................................................................108 H. Options for the future...............................................................................................................108 I. Total results of conversions......................................................................................................112 VII. ASSOCIATED LEGISLATION......................................................................................................112