Dinah and George Osborn were two of the townships significant residents who fostered this growth of boarding houses. When they came to Bundanoon in the 1870s it was known as Jordans Crossing. They purchased a 200-acre landholding near the station and in 1882 George sub-divided part of this into 16 lots, continuing his dairy and farming activities on the remainder. Dinah became the townships first school teacher and George was postmaster for 14 years.

George operated the postal agency from a store he built (located near where the Primula Café stands today), with a spacious residence at the rear connected by a covered passageway.

READ MORE:

In 1890 George sold the shop business to John Slatter, who then became postmaster. Reaching retiring age, Slatter had recently come to Bundanoon from Sydney seeking a quieter life. He leased the rear premises from George as a family residence. In 1891 they opened it as Hope House, a boarding house managed by his eldest daughter Elizabeth.

In October 1899, when Bundanoons first official post office opened, the store ceased as an agency. Shortly after, the Slatters returned to Sydney. The Hope House establishment and store premises, both still owned by George Osborn, continued in operation and in 1901 were purchased by James Calverley. His wife, Henrietta, operated it as Altona boarding house until 1906.

The premises then served as the family home until the 1930s when the Calverleys moved into a house which James had built in 1905 as a police station. They named their new residence Altona and it still stands today. The house they vacated, built by George Osborn, was subsequently demolished.

An earlier boarding house at Bundanoon, Fernwood Farm, had begun advertising in October 1881. It was on Osborn land, situated behind and eastward of the village shops two minutes from the station, farm accommodation, eggs, milk, orchards, and a buggy for hire.

It had several operators, but between 1889 and 1892 Osborn himself was the proprietor. Perhaps he and Dinah made it their temporary home, due to their former residence being leased to John Slatter, and while they awaited the completion of a new residence, The Knoll, to be built nearby.

Bundanoons list of early guest houses includes Devonleigh, another property on Osborn land in this same vicinity. It is said to have been built around 1890 as a residence for Dinahs mother, Mary Ann Widgery.

As many of the early guest houses had a succession of proprietors and name changes, location and commencement details are often confusing and can be misleading.

It is possible that George Osborn renovated Fernwood Farm for his mother-in-law Mary Ann who gave it the name Devonleigh, after her county of birth.

In March 1895 the first advertisement for Devonleigh as a boarding house appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald. Whether Mary Ann, who died in 1900 at age 96, had been managing it or just living there is unknown. Devonleigh continued to operate as one of Bundanoons most successful guest houses until the 1960s, then as a hostel, until destroyed by fire in 1983.

The Osborns crowning achievement was The Knoll, a two-storey residence completed in late 1892. Set in extensive gardens and overlooking the township, it had magnificent views across what would later be named Morton National Park.

The Osborns, who were in their sixties, soon accepted visitors and The Knoll became well-known as an exclusive guest house. George died in 1915 and Dinah in 1919. They did not have any children.

The Knoll estate was sold in the 1920s and, under various owners, operated until the 1970s. In 1981 a Sydney-based fitness centre, Solar Plexus, bought it as a weekend retreat. It was transformed into the Solar Springs Health Resort of today.

Located on Osborn Ave in Bundanoon, the resort is a reminder of George and Dinah Osborns contributions to the township.

Did you know the Southern Highland News is now offering breaking news alerts and a daily email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: sign up below.