Famous people visited Grove Creek, including a tour organised by Carl Sagan of the United States. After the Comet had left for another 75 years, the future of the Observatory was unknown. In February 1987, a Sydney amateur astronomer, Steven Williams, commenced regular tours at Grove Creek, as well as a performing a complete upgrade of the main telescope's drive system and optics. The Lynch family have now left the property, and the Observatory is now run as a non-profit organisation. Accommodation holidays are held on a regular basis, and the funds collected, go directly toward the running costs of the Observatory.
All staff give their time free of charge.
This system is run by Jim Lynch. The main domed building houses a control room which is separated from the three metre motor driven dome via a two door partition. This enables astronomers to enjoy the warm and comfort of the building while operating the telescope remotely with CCD imaging or just relaxing while the telescope is auto-guiding during an astrophotography exposure. The sliding roof observatory has a sturdy pier mounted in the centre. There is enough room to house visitors' telescopes, as well as Grove Creek's own large aperture equipment.