Ned Kelly

In 1854, the same year gold was discovered in El Dorado, Australia’s most infamous bushranger, Ned Kelly, was born.

No other piece of Australian history has the capacity to polarise people like that of the Kelly Legend. Murderer or hero, opinions about what really happened are many and varied.

Glenrowan is situated on the Hume Freeway just south of Wangaratta and is the site of the Kelly Gang’s last stand. On 28 June 1880 Ned led Joe Byrne, Dan Kelly and Steve Hart against a formidable police force. With the townsfolk kept hostage in the local inn, Ned’s plan to upset the establishment and form the Republic of North East Victoria came unstuck when he was duped by the local school teacher.

During the dramatic shoot out, bullets bounced off the Gang’s ingenuous armour made from the shears of mould-board ploughs. The sight of the Gang in their imposing suits amidst the foggy moonlit night struck the fear of the unnatural into the police and it took several hours to bring Ned down. Ned was hung for his crimes while the other members of the Gang perished during the siege.

Kelly’s shadow still looms large over the North East. The siege at Glenrowan brought about a climactic end to the Kelly uprising and is commemorated annually around the 28th June in and around the township with a series of events and informative lectures.

The Ned Kelly museums at Glenrowan explain the whole story and are a must see whilst in the region. You can also visit the actual sites of the Gang’s last stand as part of the Ned Kelly Touring Route.