Allambie House, a stately old guest house on the hill above the boatshed at Audley in Royal National Park, was destroyed by fire in 1975.
The cause was not bushfire, arson or accident.
A demolition contractor working for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) set fire to the 59-year-old dilapidated building because it was said to be the cheapest and most efficient method to bring it down.
The remains of a more recent timber addition were pushed against the original brick and hardwood structure, gasoline spread and the fire lit just after midnight on a Sunday morning.
Bushfire brigades stood by to ensure the blaze did not spread.
NPWS said demolition was required because the building was severely damaged by termites, had fallen into disrepair, had not been used for more than two years and was a target for vandals.
Renovation costs were said to be prohibitive, with a quote for repairs to the roof alone being more than $100,000.
A photo in the Leader’s front page report of the demolition showed the dilapidation of the building before it was razed.
The site was to become a picnic area.
The park’s chief ranger said Allambie House, which had 19 double rooms, was very popular in early years because it was well away from city crowds.
But as people became more mobile, it lost its attraction.
With increasing park attendance – up to 20,000 a day in 1975 – it was no longer “away from it all”.
The guest house was called The Rest when it was built on a camp site in 1916.
Renamed some years later, it was a very popular with honeymooners.
