However, Charlie Thesen decided to compensate Moodie for his invested effort and allowed him to name the newly proclaimed town.

In 1921 a railway connection between George and Knysna was planned and the project was completed in 1928 by routing the line over a new bridge crossing the adjacent Swartvlei (‘Black lake’).

A library was opened in 1962 and the town expanded further during the next four decades to comprise a central business district with supermarkets, pharmacies, filling stations, curio shops and other undertakings.

When the ANC came to power nationally, for a variety of reasons, they decided to reduce the total of such local authorities country-wide and Sedgefield became part of Knysna.

The laid-back rustic village atmosphere is reflected in the town's motto of being a place where ‘the tortoise sets the pace’.

A golf course (the ‘Fynbos Links’), tennis court and bowls field caters to the significant portion of retired permanent residents of the town.