VPRS 6168 Index of Residence Area Rights

One of the privileges conferred by Section 5 of the Mines Act 1865 and subsequent Mines Acts was that the holder of a miner's right could reside on up to one acre on a gold-fields area. Those occupying a residence area were "deemed in law to be possessed ... of such ... parcels ... and the property therein". This meant that the resident had all the responsibilities and rights of an owner. Rights of residence could be transferred or cancelled.With the passing of the Land (Residence Areas) Act 1935 the right of occupation of residence areas was broadened to include all Crown lands, not only those in mining areas and with administration placed under the Land Act rather than the Mines Act.Details in this series are the number of the residence area right and the name of the holder. Where names of holders change due to transfers these are entered as well as annotations of purchases of the land under Section 12 Land Act (Amendment) Act 1935.It is not known to what district these entries refer. it would appear to be a new record created when responsibility for residence area rights passed from the Mining Registrar to the Department of Crown Lands and Survey in 1936 with only those rights still active being noted. It is possible that it is for the Ballarat district.