An experienced coal miner, James arrived in Victoria with his brother John in 1854 from Nailsea, Somerset, England[3] joining the population boom during the Victorian gold rush.

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.

[2] Despite being over 200 miles (320 km) from Melbourne, Mount Buffalo was recognised for its special geology and botany by the likes of the noted Government botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, and started to attract a small flow of tourists.

[2] Although only about twelve years old when the hotel opened, Alice was regularly involved in the expeditions around the mountain, thereby developing a love and extensive knowledge of the flora, fauna, and rugged Mount Buffalo landscape.

Guide Alice served as a calming influence to the burgeoning tourist numbers concerned about the wildlife, dangers on the mountain, and being lost.

Although she sometimes dressed in a skirt, Manfield controversially wore pant suits for the cold conditions experienced in her job, long before this would become common clothing for women.

[6] In a predominantly male gathering, Guide Alice was photographed holding the ribbon at the road's official opening[7] as the Premier of Victoria, Sir Thomas Bent, prepared to cut it.

[8] With the road leading to increased tourism, in 1910 the Public Works Department built a government owned guesthouse close by the Manfield's chalet.