Well before our time, in 1860, Islay House was built by local Woodend butcher, Henry Dale, reportedly from prefabricated materials brought out from England.  Named the British American Hotel and later The Cumberland it served those making their way to and from the Bendigo Gold Fields.

By 1862 due to Mr Dales’ insolvency, the hotel was leased and then sold for eight hundred pounds. From 1871-1877 the local miller, Thomas Patterson paid the rates on the property and in 1877 gained a liquor licence, renaming the building The Patterson Family Hotel. 

In 1877 the property was sold at auction described as “containing eight rooms, a bar, with detached kitchen and servants rooms, a ballroom and a ten-stall stable.”  Mr. John Gilchrist, who ran the general store opposite, bought the hotel to house his large family. Documents relating to the sale mention Cobb and Co and that the hotel was de-licensed. John Gilchrist renamed the property Islay House after his birthplace, the Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland.

In 1882 Irishman Jack Reynolds set up his blacksmith shop next door to the hotel and worked it for 54 years until his son took over the forge into the 1950s. The Forge was a great meeting place with “a similar atmosphere to the pub – all the blokes used to come in and have a bit of a chat and share district news.”

Since those early days several successive families have called Islay House their home and we are happy to have returned it to a place of hospitality and conviviality.