But when time passed by and the doors of the world-famous saddler stayed shut longer than needed for your average renovations, locals became worried.

Did it mean one of the town's most well-known tourist attractions was no more?

Tenterfield residents can rest assured, as this is not the case. 

Owner Brian Meldon aims to open up the business house back next year. 

He said it was never his intention to stay closed for such a long time, but after the floorboards in the back of the workshop were replaced, Mr Meldon suffered a heart attack and spent three months in Prince Charles hospital recovering from surgery.

Mr Meldon, who living in Brisbane only knew the saddler from the song, bought it 'on the spot' in 1995 after seeing an ad in a real estate magazine.

As he already owned a shop in Brisbane selling a full range of leather goods, he thought incorporating the established name would be a worthwhile addition.

"It gave us a great ride," he said, adding that people liked buying leather goods backed by a great name.

Although a lot of his sales were being made over the phone and the internet, not from the two locations themselves.

"We sell around the world and Australia," he said.

Most of the product range -from diaries to wallets and bags - was being made in a 400-kilometre radius, but Mr Meldon said his employee Trevor Gibson used to still do repairs and manufacture belts in the workshop in Tenterfield, as well the occasional saddle.

"When he (Trevor) had enough and said he wanted to retire, I had him on for another 12 months," Mr Meldon said.

After that year it was his plan was to come to Tenterfield at some stage and manage the store himself, from Thursday to Sunday. 

Mr Meldon said he was very much looking forward to doing that.

"(It will be) a very relaxing lifestyle, you meet some lovely people (when in the shop)," he said.

Mr Meldon's aim is to keep the saddler open for public, as with its old western style looks it really contributes to the town's profile. "Every town wishes they had a Tenterfield saddler."

"I'll never let the saddlery slip, but I want to do it at my own pace," he said.

Although times are tough in the business as most competitors buy from China where the labour costs are lower, Mr Meldon said he refused to sell anything but Australian products. 

"It's been like that since the 1870s," he said, emphasizing he had no intentions to change that formula.

The rumours and complaints about the closure did reach the owner when he was recovering in Brisbane and he could not help laughing when saying: "No one misses it until it is gone".

Well aware of the importance of the town's icon the Tenterfield council approached the entrepreneur in Brisbane to see if there was a possibility to have volunteers or paid staff running it, to keep it open purely as tourist attraction.

Mr Meldon wasn't ready for them then, but said he was open for sitting down with the council upon his arrival in Tenterfield next year, and added he appreciated it they had always shown interest and support.

It was not just the local government that expressed interest in the saddler, the international couture house Hermès tried to get in touch with the owner too.

Mr Meldon was not available at the time, "But now that I am coming good, I am starting to think of it (returning their call)," he said. 

Having such a big name as a client would do the business good and Mr Meldon said he would spend time going over all options when in the shop next year.

Eventually, he said he'd like to see the saddler being sold to a local, although he is not in a hurry.

"I find it very hard to sell it. It (finding the right buyer) will be easier when I am there looking after the place, then when it is closed," said Mr Meldon.