For more than 60 years Daly Kidd Cottage has stood on the side of Tocal Road but following months of work, the small white building has been returned to the homestead.

“The cottage was moved from the homestead to its current location in the 1950s, apparently to allow for more privacy for Myrtle and Marguerita Curtis who were then living in Tocal Homestead,” Tocal Agricultural College principal Dr Cameron Archer said.

“The cottage was occupied by various people who worked for the Misses Curtis but has remained vacant for many years. And despite its looks, it is in remarkably good condition.”

Built in 1916 during the marriage of Leslie Earle (Daly) Kidd to Alice Chambers, the cottage was constructed of Australian hardwood with splayed weatherboards representative of its era.

“The cottage will now be fully conserved and will serve as accommodation for the caretaker of the homestead, which will mean the whole house can now be open for public tours,” Dr Archer said.

Daly Kidd worked on Tocal and also drove ­coaches for the Fry family of Paterson.

In 1911 he drove the last coach from Maitland to Paterson. 

Mr Kidd was the only person to remain working on Tocal when the property was sold to the Alexander family.