A neighborhood conflict over approximately 11 square meters of laneway in Sydney's Redfern has culminated in a physical confrontation and ongoing legal proceedings. Filmmaker Garnet Mae and movie costumer Grayson Cole have been engaged in a seven-year dispute regarding the ownership and use of the land located behind four terraced properties.
The disagreement intensified in November 2024 when Mae began cutting into tree ferns with a circular saw on the disputed patch of land. Cole, who has lived in his property since 1987 and claims the area through adverse possession, confronted Mae. The confrontation was captured on video by Mae, showing Cole grabbing the saw and an altercation ensuing, during which Cole allegedly kicked Mae.
Following the incident, Cole was charged with common assault and sought an apprehended violence order (AVO) against Mae. Mae, who does not live on the street but visits his brother's property nearby, believes the laneway is communal. Cole's legal representation argued that his continuous use and maintenance of the land for nearly 40 years provided a stronger claim than Mae's intermittent presence.
During a court hearing, the judge described the situation as a "festering sore" and suggested resolving the land title issue through the Supreme Court or the Office of the Registrar General. Subsequently, the assault charge against Cole was withdrawn after his solicitor presented evidence, including a surveyor's plan. The prosecutor indicated that the case was unlikely to proceed and that Cole appeared to have a strong claim to the land's title.
Mae, who had filmed a TikTok video outside the court expressing his dissatisfaction with the outcome, stated that the prosecutor suggested Cole would likely win title to the land and would receive a suspended sentence if found guilty of assault.
Both parties are scheduled to return to court for the hearing of Cole's AVO application next month. The dispute has reportedly cost both individuals tens of thousands of dollars.