Fernside
This homestead was built between 1850 and 1852 by George Tailby who first came to the district about 1838 when he leased 640 acres adjoining the 1,086 acre grant held by Charles Chauvel, known as Narrangras.
Little information is available about George Taieby (sic) to whom a son, George, was born at Richmond, New South Wales, on 6th June 1807.
Sands Country Directory for 1881 lists a George Tailby, squatter of Rylstone and Charles Tailby, grazier of Fernside, Rylstone. Three others of the same name are recorded as squatters at Narrabri, Boggabri and Gulargambone.
A search of early survey maps leads the writer to believe that the 60 acres Taibly leased in 1838 was a property then owned by Robert Fitzgerald of Dabee - it lay east of Fernside. It was in 1849 when Chauvel moved from the district to settle in the Clarence River area that Tailby purchased Narrangras from him. This is the property now known as Fernside.
Near the Fernside homestead are the graves of three children:
William Henry met his death in an accident involving a horse.
George Tailby (sic) was a victim of the Tarana rail smash which occurred on 27th April 1892. This was one of the worst tragedies in the history of the New South Wales Government Railways when nine passengers were killed and eleven injured. The train was the Western Mail and the accident took place 2 1/4 miles on the Sydney side of Tarana. A broken rail in a cutting was considered to be the cause, but the American Baldwin O Class engine was taken out of service for 25 years after the accident. During this period many modifications were made.1