{"id":"wangaratta-church-england-land-act-1930","name":"Wangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930","slug":"wangaratta-church-of-england-land-act-1930","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":174590,"registerId":"vic-wangaratta-church-england-land-act-1930-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Wangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930","content":"Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documentsi\nVersion No. 001\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act\n1930\nAct No. 3924/1930\nVersion as at 24 February 2003\nTABLE OF PROVISIONS\nSection Page\n1. Short title 2\n2. Alteration of trusts of lands described in First, Second and\nThird Schedules 2\n__________________\nSCHEDULES 3\nSCHEDULE 1 3\nSCHEDULE 2 4\nSCHEDULE 3 5\nSCHEDULE 4 6\n═══════════════\nENDNOTES 7\n1. General Information 7\n2. Table of Amendments 8\n3. Explanatory Details 9\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents1\nVersion No. 001\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act\n1930\nAct No. 3924/1930\nVersion as at 24 February 2003\nAn Act relating to the Trusts upon and subject to which certain\nLands at Wangaratta are held by the Church of England Trusts\nCorporation for the Diocese of Wangaratta and to the\nDisposition and the Application of the Proceeds of Disposition\nof such Lands.\nPreamble\nWHEREAS by an Indenture of Conveyance dated\nthe twenty-third day of May One thousand eight\nhundred and sixty the lands described in the First\nSchedule to this Act were conveyed by George\nEdward Mackay by the direction of Charles\nWilliam Hughes to Charles Perry, Bishop of\nMelbourne, and his successors in fee-simple upon\nand subject to the trusts specified in the said First\nSchedule:\nAND WHEREAS by an Indenture of Conveyance\ndated the twenty-sixth day of June One thousand\neight hundred and sixty the lands described in the\nSecond Schedule to this Act were conveyed by\nSamuel McGhee by direction of William Clark to\nthe said Charles Perry, Bishop of Melbourne, and\nhis successors in fee-simple upon and subject to\nthe trusts specified in the said Second Schedule:\nAND WHEREAS by an Indenture of Conveyance\ndated the thirteenth day of July One thousand eight\nhundred and sixty the lands described in the Third\nSchedule to this Act were conveyed by William\nClark to the said Charles Perry, Bishop of\nMelbourne, and his successors in fee-simple upon\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n2\nand subject to the trusts specified in the said Third\nSchedule:\nAND WHEREAS the lands described in the said\nFirst Second and Third Schedules are now\npursuant to the provisions of the St. James'\nChurch Land Act 1906 vested upon and subject\nto the aforesaid trusts respectively in the Church of\nEngland Trusts Corporation for the Diocese of\nWangaratta:\nAND WHEREAS it is expedient to alter the trusts\nupon and subject to which the said lands are held\nand to grant powers of disposition and dealing in\nrespect of such lands:\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King's Most\nExcellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the\nLegislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria\nin this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of\nthe same as follows (that is to say):\n1. Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Wangaratta\nChurch of England Land Act 1930.\n2. Alteration of trusts of lands described in First,\nSecond and Third Schedules\nIn lieu of the trusts declared by the hereinbefore\nrecited indentures of conveyance the whole of the\nlands described in the First Second and Third\nSchedules to this Act shall from the passing of this\nAct be held by the Church of England Trusts\nCorporation for the Diocese of Wangaratta upon\nand subject to the trusts and with the powers of\ndisposition set out in the Fourth Schedule to this\nAct and the purposes to which the proceeds of\ndisposition thereof are to be applied shall be those\nset out in the said Fourth Schedule.\n__________________\ns. 1\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n3\nSCHEDULES\nFIRST SCHEDULE\nLand: Crown allotments 5, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of section 20 town of\nWangaratta parish of Wangaratta North county of Delatite.\nTrusts: Upon trust from time to time and at all times hereafter to permit and\nsuffer the said pieces or parcels of land and hereditaments to be used by the\nMinister of the United Church of England and Ireland having for the time\nbeing the spiritual charge of the ecclesiastical parish or district connected or\nto be connected with the Church of England now known as the parish of\nWangaratta or who shall have the spiritual charge of so much of any parish to\nbe hereafter constituted in the Diocese of Melbourne as shall have within its\nlimits the said pieces or parcels of land and for the erection thereon or some\npart thereof of a parsonage house for such Minister and for no other purpose\nwhatsoever.\n__________________\nSection 2.\nSch. 1\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n4\nSECOND SCHEDULE\nLand: Crown allotment 3 of section 20 town of Wangaratta parish of\nWangaratta North county of Delatite.\nTrusts: Upon trust to use and apply the same as in his or their discretion may\nseem best calculated to maintain and support a Minister of the Church of\nEngland in officiating according to the forms and doctrines of said Church\nunder licence from the said Bishop of Melbourne or his successors in the\necclesiastical district of Wangaratta as at present constituted by the said\nBishop of Melbourne and generally in the promotion of public worship\naccording to such forms and doctrines in the said district.\n__________________\nSection 2.\nSch. 2\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n5\nTHIRD SCHEDULE\nLand: Crown allotments 4, 15 and 16 of section 20 town of Wangaratta\nparish of Wangaratta North county of Delatite.\nTrusts: Upon trust to use and apply the same as in his or their discretion may\nseem best calculated to maintain and support a Minister of the United Church\nof England in Ireland in officiating according to the forms and doctrines of\nsaid Church under licence from the said Bishop of Melbourne or his\nsuccessors in the ecclesiastical district of Wangaratta as at present constituted\nby the said Bishop of Melbourne and generally in the promotion of public\nworship according to such forms and doctrine within such district.\n__________________\nSection 2.\nSch. 3\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n6\nFOURTH SCHEDULE\nNEW TRUSTS\nUpon trust to permit the whole or any part of the said lands to be used for\nsuch purposes of the Church of England or for such use of any Minister or\nofficer thereof or of any institution conducted or controlled by the said\nChurch or connected therewith as the Bishop of Wangaratta (or the person\nduly authorized to administer the affairs of the diocese during a vacancy of\nthe See) acting under the advice of the Council of the Diocese shall direct\nunless and until the said lands shall be disposed of under the powers of\ndisposition hereinafter set out.\nPOWERS OF DISPOSITION\nWith the consent of the Bishop of Wangaratta (or the person duly authorized\nto administer the affairs of the diocese during a vacancy of the See) acting\nunder the advice of the Council of the Diocese to mortgage sell lease (on\nbuilding lease or otherwise) exchange create easements over or reserve roads\non the said lands or any part thereof.\nPURPOSES TO WHICH PROCEEDS OF DISPOSITION ARE TO BE\nAPPLIED\nSuch purposes of the Church of England within the Diocese of Wangaratta as\nthe Bishop of Wangaratta (or the person duly authorized to administer the\naffairs of the diocese during a vacancy of the See) acting under the advice of\nthe Council of the Diocese may from time to time direct PROVIDED that out\nof the income (other than the income arising from the user of the said lands\nor any part thereof for the purposes of the said Church or by any Minister or\nofficer thereof and the income from any building erected or institution\nestablished on the said land and conducted or controlled by the said Church\nor connected therewith) arising in any year from the said lands or any part\nthereof or from the proceeds of any disposition thereof after providing for\nany mortgage debt or other liability in respect of the said lands or any part\nthereof the sum of Five hundred pounds shall as a first charge thereon be paid\nto the Minister of the Church of England having for the time being the\nspiritual charge of the ecclesiastical parish of Wangaratta.\n═══════════════\nSection 2.\nSch. 4\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n7\nENDNOTES\n1. General Information\nThe Wangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930 was assented to on\n31 December 1930 and came into operation on 31 December 1930.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n8\n2. Table of Amendments\nThere are no amendments made to the Wangaratta Church of England\nLand Act 1930 by Acts and subordinate instruments.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3924/1930\nWangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930\n9\n3. Explanatory Details\nNo entries at date of publication.\nEndnotes","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on available information, the Act appears to have remained in its original narrow form since 1930, addressing a specific Church of England land matter in Wangaratta. There is no evidence of scope expansion or significant amendment from the version history provided."},"complexity_factors":["Very narrow and localised scope — applies to a single church organisation in one regional town","Historical Act from 1930 with archaic legislative drafting style typical of the era","Limited version history information provided, making it difficult to assess any amendments","Deals with property law and trust law concepts (trustees, land title) which can be technical","Purpose of the Act cannot be fully assessed from the metadata alone — the actual operative provisions are not shown"],"plain_english_summary":"The Wangaratta Church of England Land Act 1930 is a narrow, local Victorian law that authorised specific dealings (sale, transfer or altered use) in land tied to the Anglican Church in Wangaratta and cleared related title or trustee issues. It primarily affects the church’s trustees and anyone with an interest in the named parcel(s). Practically, it’s a single-purpose, nearly century‑old statute of limited contemporary relevance, though its land arrangements remain legally recognised."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The Act replaces the original, narrower trusts (parsonage/support of a minister) with broader diocesan-purpose trusts and explicit powers to dispose of the lands, centralising decision-making with the Bishop and Council and creating a statutory first charge of £500 for the local minister (s.2; First–Fourth Schedules)."},"complexity_factors":["Consolidation of multiple historic conveyance trusts into a single scheme (s.2; First–Third Schedules).","Broad discretionary control given to the Bishop acting under advice of the Diocesan Council to determine permitted uses (Fourth Schedule).","Extensive powers of disposition (mortgage, sale, lease, exchange, easements, road reservations) subject to episcopal consent (Fourth Schedule).","A fixed financial priority: a first charge of £500 payable to the local minister from income/proceeds after liabilities, with specified income exclusions (Fourth Schedule).","Interaction with prior statutory vesting (St. James' Church Land Act 1906) and historic title documents in the Preamble affecting chain-of-title review.","Schedules describe land by historic Crown allotments which may require modern title matching and could complicate registration or survey work (First–Third Schedules).","Use of a historical sterling amount (£500) may raise interpretive or adjustment issues for modern administration (Fourth Schedule).","Although textually short, practical implementation requires trust-law and property-law expertise to administer disposals, charges and income application (s.2; Fourth Schedule)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act replaces older conveyance trusts over several Wangaratta parcels by vesting them in the Church of England Trusts Corporation for the Diocese of Wangaratta and creating a single, consolidated trust. The Bishop of Wangaratta (acting with the diocesan Council) is empowered to permit uses and, with consent, to mortgage, sell, lease, exchange or otherwise dispose of the land; proceeds fund diocesan Church purposes but must pay a first charge of £500 to the local minister."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: altering the trusts for three specific parcels of land conveyed in 1860. The scope has not expanded beyond the Wangaratta church lands described in the schedules. No subsequent amendments have broadened the application to other properties or purposes."},"complexity_factors":["Very short statute (only 2 operative sections plus schedules)","No defined terms section; all terms are used in their ordinary sense","Minimal cross-referencing (only internal references to the four schedules)","Simple conditional logic limited to one proviso in Schedule 4 regarding the £500 annual payment","No amendments since enactment in 1930","Straightforward replacement of trusts rather than layered or nested conditions","Historical context provided in preamble but not legally operative"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis Act changes the rules about how certain church land in Wangaratta, Victoria, can be used and sold.\n\n**The backstory:**\nIn 1860, three separate parcels of land in Wangaratta were given to the Church of England (specifically to the Bishop of Melbourne) for very specific religious purposes—mainly to build a parsonage (a house for the minister) and support church services. These lands were held under strict legal rules called \"trusts\" that limited what could be done with them.\n\n**What changed in 1930:**\nThe Act replaces those old, narrow rules with new, more flexible ones:\n\n- **Old rules:** The land could only be used for a minister's house and church services in the specific Wangaratta parish.\n- **New rules:** The land can now be used for any Church of England purpose in the entire Diocese of Wangaratta, or sold/mortgaged/leased if the Bishop and Diocesan Council agree.\n\n**Key protections:**\n- If the land is sold or leased, the money must still be used for Church of England purposes in the Wangaratta Diocese.\n- The minister of Wangaratta parish gets a guaranteed £500 per year (first priority) from any income generated, after paying off any debts on the land.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- The Anglican Church (Church of England) in Wangaratta\n- The Bishop and Diocesan Council of Wangaratta\n- The parish minister of Wangaratta\n- Anyone buying or leasing the land in future\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis is a classic example of \"trustee legislation\"—when Parliament steps in to modernise old charitable gifts that have become impractical. The original 1860 restrictions were too narrow for 1930s needs. Rather than going to court, the Church asked Parliament to pass a private Act to update the rules. This gave the Church flexibility to use or sell valuable town land while keeping the money within church purposes."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/wangaratta-church-of-england-land-act-1930","history":"/api/acts/wangaratta-church-of-england-land-act-1930/history","analysis":"/api/acts/wangaratta-church-of-england-land-act-1930/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/wangaratta-church-of-england-land-act-1930/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/wangaratta-church-of-england-land-act-1930/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/wangaratta-church-of-england-land-act-1930/documents"}}