LOOKING BACK: The Hollies, a 'picturesque retreat' steeped in history

A native of Weymouth, England, John Archibald Boyd was born in 1846, the eldest child of Dr Sprott Boyd and Catherine Cutler. Reportedly a relative of the infamous colonialist and blackbirder Benjamin Boyd, Dr Boyd practiced medicine in Sydney for many years after the family's 1857 arrival.

Educated at Sydney Grammar, John Archibald Boyd left school at 14 to work on a Queensland sheep station before returning to Sydney to take up a banking position. In 1865, he moved to Fiji where he owned and operated a cotton plantation, returning to Sydney in 1882 to partner with his brother in a North Queensland sugar plantation.

John met his second wife Sarah Jane Miskin onboard a ship from England to Australia in 1893, marrying soon after their arrival before moving to the Boyd brothers' Ripple Creek plantation. It was there Archibald Sprott Boyd was born in 1897.

With the tropical heat taking its toll on John's health after five years the couple retired to Sydney. While visiting Eden in 1899, they were "...charmed by the beauty of the locality..." and resolved to make it their home. Purchasing a block adjoining Lake Curalo, they contracted local builders Messrs Peterson and Wellings in December 1899 to construct a residence and by May 1900 were preparing to occupy their "...prettily situated..." house.

Originally comprised of nine rooms, the layout of the homestead was reportedly "...something exceptional..." Surrounded by a "...profusion of gay and rare flowers..." the "...picturesque retreat..." was the subject of complimentary write ups in local papers. By 1904 it was referred to as The Hollies.

A lawn tennis court was established by 1902 and in February a team of players from Pambula visited for the first of many friendly games. The following year, the Eden Propeller commented on the "...lovely tennis court...", the focus of "...frequent social gatherings...", with "...Mrs and Mrs Boyd being perfect as entertainers..." In 1909 the Twofold Bay Magnet claimed the court was "...better than [any] which of its kind I have rarely seen..."

Situated "...so charmingly..." on the western approach to Curalo Lake, the family and their guests enjoyed easy access to boating, fishing and shooting, with a writer noting "...it is positively charming to have such a lake...as your foot-stool..."

From early on, John Boyd interested himself in establishing the property's "...well and picturesquely laid out..." grounds, employing "...expert..." French gardener Arthur Mathieu by 1903 and, despite having only the "...muchly despised..." black loamy sand to work with, used his "...experienced brain and cunning hand..." along with a "...large outlay and excellent management..." to create grounds on which "...trees and plants are a picture to gaze upon."

Planting "...the handsomest, the rarest of flowers, and luscious fruit...", by 1903 the grounds boasted all kinds of beautiful flowers, fruit trees, vines and vegetables that, it was stated, would have caused "...the best market gardener to gaze on them with envious feelings".

Mr Mathieu remained in charge of the property's "...artistically laid out..." gardens until 1909 after which it is unclear whether another gardener was employed or the Boyd family took charge of the grounds themselves. Later, the plantings would be associated with another historically significant local property - Loch Garra at Davidson Whaling Station.

By 1909, John was plagued by "...a physical infirmity which prevented him from moving far from his home...", and although able remain at The Hollies, the last few years of his life saw him confined almost entirely to bed until, in 1926, he passed away at the age of 80. After John's death, his wife remained at The Hollies until she too passed away 1939.

Although the Boyd family apparently retained ownership of the property, newspaper items from the period indicate that it was let out. During the 1940, the Brouff family were tenants, although Dr Boyd, then living at Roseberry, holidayed at the property over the same period.

Like his father, Dr Archibald Sprott Boyd married twice, firstly to Ella F Lindsay in 1924; and then to Edna May Brouff in 1960. By that time Archie (as he was fondly known) had purchased the former Davidson Whaling Station property including Loch Garra. In the 20 years the site had been unoccupied, bushland had encroached on the gardens, but the new owners worked to create new beds, incorporating remnants of original plantings with other exotic and native species, many of which Mrs Boyd brought from The Hollies and the gardens of Loch Garra and The Hollies remain closely linked. The couple retained ownership of the whaling station site until it was acquired by the Coastal Council of NSW in 1984.

Direct descendants of John Archibald Boyd also retained ownership of The Hollies until 1994 when it was placed up for auction. Bombala farming couple Jim and Carolyn Rogers, then running a plant nursery in Government Road, Eden, decided to bid for the property. In 2014, Carolyn recalled "My husband just loved history...there was an article and photos on the front page of the Magnet..." The couple relocated their nursery business to the property, erecting glasshouses and a shop building, and undertaking further plantings.

The Rogers' also turned their attention to re-establishing the grounds and renovating the buildings, and thanks to their attention to detail, the house retained many original features including 12-foot high ceilings and timber-lined rooms with central corridor.

Carolyn and Jim Rogers ran their nursery onsite with the help of their children until 2003, when the good will was sold. After Jim's passing, Carolyn remained at The Hollies until, after 18 years, placed in on the market in 2012.

Please note that this is a private residence, not open to the public or to be visited without the express permission of the owners.

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