The NSW Lands Department, or Land and Property Management Authority as they prefer to be known [or Land and Property Information as they are now known – 2012], have reformatted and republished their collection of User Guides. Here is a complete list, blatantly lifted from their website:
First Stop Guide to the Records of the Registrar General (PDF 1.2MB)
Published 20 Apr 2011The First Stop Guide is the first of five publications that detail the history of and information about searching and accessing land titling records in NSW. This guide aims to be your “First Stop” in helping you decide which publication(s) suits your particular searching needs.
A Brief History of the Records of the Registrar General (PDF 3.1MB)
Published 20 Apr 2011This publication offers a brief history of the Office of the Registrar General since its inception in 1843 and the records it holds which date back to 1792. It also describes how land was initially acquired and consequently managed.
Old System Information and Search Guide (PDF 9.8MB)
Published 20 Apr 2011This guide explains the intricacies of Old System land title and offers advice and tips on how to search the indexes and documents that have been registered with the Registrar General since New South Wales (NSW) was founded.
Searching the Registrar General’s Maps and Plans (PDF 4.7MB)
Published 20 Apr 2011This guide has been prepared to provide a reference guide to Land and Property Information (LPI) mapping and plan resources and as a research tool for historical inquiry.
Torrens Title Information and Search Guide (PDF 5.0MB)
Published 20 Apr 2011This guide describes how Torrens title information has been recorded historically and offers practical information on how to locate current and historical Torrens title information.
I haven’t examined them in detail as yet, but on first inspection they appear to be much more manageable and more concise than the old ones. The Old System Information and Search Guide is 45 pages and is much clearer and more friendly than the old 148-page User Guide to Old System Searching published in December 2009.
Here is an example. This is the first page of Chapter 1 of the old (2009) and new (2011) versions:
2009
2011
No comparison really. The descriptive text appears to be the same, at least in the first few pages, but the explanations are much clearer.
I recommend you go and find these guides if you have any interest in land and property in New South Wales. Researchers from other States are also likely to find the explanations useful, as the types of land records are similar in all States.
With grateful thanks to the NSW Land and Property Management Authority