Lauren Walley, Acting Principal Solicitor, Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office (VGSO)
This week for the People of the Project series we meet Lauren Walley, Acting Principal Solicitor, Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office (VGSO). Lauren has an interesting role on the Geelong Arts Centre Little Malop Street Redevelopment, working as the external legal advisor on the property titling and conveyancing for the historic Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC). She shares with us some fascinating facts about the site.
“The existing site has grown over the last century with different uses and is made up of every land type - with reserved Crown land, restricted Crown grants, general law land and freehold land - creating a clash of different restrictions across the site.
“VGSO have been working with the Little Malop Street Redevelopment Project Team to deftly navigate each required process to achieve a single consolidated title managed by Geelong Arts Centre,” says Lauren.
Many of our supporters and followers are local history buffs and may share Lauren’s passion for past. For example, did you know that over the last two centuries, the site has hosted a Temperance Hall, Mechanics' Institute and a Presbyterian Church before making way for the Arts Centre in the late 1970s?
“It is wonderful to advise on a site with such a rich history serving the local region.”
We asked Lauren if she has uncovered any treasures while working on the project and she was delighted to share this gem. “During the project, I received the original Certificate of Title from 1902, on vellum with the seal as originally granted to the Geelong Mechanics Institute. The document will be retained by Geelong Arts Centre as part of its historic records - look out for it on display in the future.”
The Geelong Arts Centre Little Malop Street Redevelopment is backed with a $140 million investment from the Victorian Government.