Alice Manfield

Alice Manfield (1878 – 14 July 1960) commonly known as Guide Alice, was a mountain guide, amateur naturalist, chalet owner, photographer, and early feminist figure from Victoria, Australia. Her pioneering work at Mount Buffalo from the 1890s to the 1930s joining the population boom during the Victorian gold rush. They made their way to the goldfields in the Buckland Valley, and later purchased a property there with the proceeds of their gold mining. Still chasing gold, they travelled to New Zealand and New South Wales, but within ten years had returned to the Buckland Valley to concentrate on working their farm. meant that in less than eight hours travellers from the capital could be within reach of Mt Buffalo. Locals began to see the tourism opportunities. In 1888 a tender was issued to build a hotel at the start of a new track up the mountain, and Alice's father James Manfield won. and gave it the affectionate name of Granny's Place. as the Premier of Victoria, Sir Thomas Bent, prepared to cut it.

With the road leading to increased tourism, in 1910 the Public Works Department built a government owned guesthouse close by the Manfield's chalet. This was the first pictorial record of lyrebirds to be released.

A large collection of Manfield's photographs is held by the State Library of Victoria. These have been digitised and are available online. The library's Manuscript Collection also holds an archive of press clippings, notes and other materials related to the Manfield family.