Ray Pattle, a local historian and former Guildford fire brigade captain, said the house on Schicer Gully Road which was engulfed by fire on Saturday night had an interesting history.

“The house is located in Schicer Gully Road and further up that road, a kilometre up that road, was the Barassi family home," he said.

The Barassi family had been original settlers in Guildford, Mr Pattle said.

“The house was originally attached to a stone cottage about 1km away from the location of the house which has been burnt.

“One part of the cottage got extended in the 1920s or 1930s with a weatherboard edition."

He said the Barassis lived in the weatherboard extension while it was still attached to the stone cottage.

While the family moved out of Guildford in the 1950s, it would have been the home Ron Barassi was raised in by his grandfather and aunt, he said.

Mr Pattle said the weatherboard extension moved to its current location after the Barassi family had left.

“The weatherboard part of the original home moved to its current location in about 1952 and has been added to since," he said.

Only a very small part of the old stone cottage still remains, he said.