George Tailby first came to the Rylstone district about 1838 when he leased 640 acres of land adjoining the 1,086 acre grant held by Charles Chauvel, known then as "Narrangrass". In 1849 Charles Chauvel moved from the district and Tailby purchased "Narrangras" from him. It was here that he built the homestead known as"Fernside". This homestead was built between 1850 and 1852 by Tailby, who engaged a builder named Dean to construct this graceful, well proportioned home, and Dean in turn employed two women to make all the bricks on the property. Stone and cedar used in the building were local.

Near the "Fernside" homestead are the graves of three children.

• William Henry Tailby who died on 8th May 1862, aged 13 years and 4 months. (Accident involving a horse.)
• Henry James Wilson Tailby who died on 16th Ovtober 1865, aged 9 months.
• Ada Maude Mary Tailby who died on 30th October 1868, aged 11 years and 6 weeks.

This fine old house, picturesquely situated on the banks of the Nepean River is the embodiment of the colourful history of Emu Plains. Built by George Tailby (as a holiday home) circa 1850 on land purchased from the original grantees, Michael Hogan and John Perry, it was first known as "Tailby's Hall" and later as "Riverside". Sir George Dibbs (Premier of NSW) was a lessee at a rental of Fifty Pound per annum, and in 1883 he unsuccessfully tried to purchase it from Mrs Catherine Tailby after the death of her husband. Sir George named it "Riverside", and gave some glittering functions there, including a reception for the Earl of Jersey (Governor of NSW 1890-93) for which event the annex on the north side of the house was built.

Annie Rachel Tailby married Alexander Cameron and lived there with her family. In 1901 it was leased by Mr G E Klaeby who occupied it until he was given notice to quit in 1907. Writing to the Tailby family in that year he mentions his struggles to maintain the property and objects to a proposed increase in rent. He reports that "the W.C. was by some means unplausably burnt down" and deducts Two Pounds, the cost of repairs from the rent.

In 1908 it was sold to John Tremain for Eight Hundred & Fifty Pounds together with 10 acres of land. Then followed a period of various ownership untill it was purchased by Malcolm Niccol in 1933 and operated as a holiday guest house for 25 years. It has now been renamed "Huntington Hall" and is occupied by Mrs Brenda Niccol as a private residence.