About

Riverview Guesthouse in Bangalow (near Byron Bay, NSW) was built in 1902. For most of its history it was occupied by Dr Lentaigne, who came to live in the town in 1914 with his mother and became the town’s resident doctor. 

Dr Lentaigne married one of the publican’s daughters, Eileen Garvey, and carried out his practice at Riverview for many years. He eventually opened The Rivers Maternity Hospital which was built where the carport now stands and used the Garden Cottage as the birthing room and surgery. The Rivers was the only maternity hospital at the time in the Byron Shire. The front queen room of the house was used as his consulting room and patients would wait to be seen on chairs that were lined up along the side verandah. Dr Lentaigne and his wife had five daughters and he stayed on at The Rivers, as it was called, until he died in 1954.
 

Afterwards, a dentist took over residency, followed by a local character called Bozo Lawrence. During this time the house was let go and became quite run down. Then in 1994, the Miller’s bough the property and restored it to its former glory. In 1996 Denise Miller opened Riverview Guesthouse and ran it as a B&B establishment whilst maintaining it as a family home.
 

In 2002, Ruth & Peter Stanley moved up from Melbourne and took over the running of the guesthouse and turned it into a full-time business. After five years of operation they sold the guesthouse to Pia Lindgren from the Hunter Valley. Pia fell in love with the house during her two years of operation but sadly decided to sell.
 

Two brothers, Peter and Christopher Allen, bought the property from Pia in April 2009. Their enthusiasm to see the property continue to evolve so that more guests can enjoy more special experiences is infectious.