In January 1880, Alexander McPherson obtained a country publican's licence to operate the Glenfern Hotel. The Glenfern Hotel was located east of Kilcoy on the road to Woodford (now the D'Aguilar Highway). In 1884, McPherson died from a fall from his horse; his wife Eliza (née Webb) continued to operate the hotel, being described in 1886 as "by no means a pretentious-looking place, but it was scrupulously clean". In 1889, Eliza McPherson married John Young who became the licensee. In 1890, the annual Kilcoy horse races were held in the hotel grounds. The hotel operated until at least 1913 but by 1923 was in use as the private home of Amelia Raleigh (one of the McPherson daughters). The hotel no longer exists, but is likely to be the origin of the locality name.
