Archives
AUSTRALIAN DICTIONARY OF BIOGRAPHY is brought to you by the Australian National University and Melbourne University Publishing. As Australia\’s pre-eminent dictionary of national biography, you will find over 10,000 scholarly biographies of significant Australians who died before 1980 including our own Ned Kelly.
WIKIPEDIA This link points to Ned Kelly but the site is massive. In this entry alone there are enough cross links to keep you busy for days (just remember to come back here eventually!). Wikipedia is an international Web-based free-content encyclopedia project. It exists as a wiki, a web site that allows visitors to edit its content; the word Wikipedia is a portmanteau of the words wiki and encyclopedia. Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers, allowing articles to be changed by anyone with access to the web site Wikipedia\’s main servers are located in Tampa, Florida, with additional servers in Amsterdam and Seoul.
AUSTRALIAN HISTORY PROMOTIONS Prolific researcher and writer Brian McDonald finally enters the cyber world with an impressively designed and maintained web site (which puts many current offerings to shame). Dedicated to reproducing rare and informative historical books and publications for historians and those with a passion for Australia\’s unique heritage, the site succeeds in its aim to promote Australia\’s rich and fascinating past through the medium of the printed word.
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR HISTORY EDUCATION A virtual warehouse of must read bytes which is now that little bit fuller thanks to a reference for IronOutlaw.com under the title \’Taming or Blaming Ned Kelly\’ an electronic journal for middle to upper secondary school students.
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Their Ned Kelly archives lists numerous stories featured over the years as well as photographs and recommended links — such as IronOutlaw.com
PAPERS PAST Although a New Zealand based web archive coordinated by their National Library there is still plenty of information on Ned Kelly and his Gang. Seems even across the Tasman Ned kept the papers selling.
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT I don\’t think Ned would be overjoyed having a listing on this web site but at least they give a fair account of his life and times and spare judgment for those reading the article instead of preaching a left or right slant on historical events (yes, I\’m surprised too). While the information isn\’t ground breaking it\’s worth a read either way.
Tourism
VISIT GLENROWAN I must admit this is an impressively designed site for a town that has little to look at in regards to beautiful buildings. The layout highlights numerous activities in and around Glenrowan which wouldn\’t be obvious to the random tourist driving down the main street. So, if you\’re planning more than a cursory glance at the region, I recommend you spend some time on this site mapping out your tourist agenda.
BEECHWORTH INFORMATION CENTRE This site is your go-to place for everything Kelly in and around Beechworth – especially the annual Ned Kelly Weekend. Located in the historic Beechworth Town Hall, their friendly, professional staff and volunteers will help you book your accommodation and guided tours, purchase tickets to local events and provide detailed information on Beechworth and it\’s beautiful surrounding region. This is also the place to pick up your Beechworth Golden Ticket for access to the nationally significant collection of Gold Era buildings that make up the Historic and Cultural Precinct. You can also browse through their large selection of brochures, souvenirs and maps.
JERILDERIE Home to the most famous hold up in Australian history, and where Ned tried to get his manifesto printed. Unlike Euroa, Jerilderie has managed to hold onto some of it’s Kelly heritage. The old bank may be long gone but the telegraph office still stands. Well worth a visit if you\’re driving by.
GLENROWAN HERITAGE PRECINCT Glenrowan is a tangible link with one of Australia\’s most infamous historical figures, Ned Kelly. He is part of the nation\’s mythology, repeatedly re-emerging through Australia\’s art, literature and music. Dressed in a helmet and suit of armour made of ploughshares, Kelly made his famous last stand on 28 June 1880 at Glenrowan following a siege between his gang and Melbourne troopers. Visitors to the Glenrowan Heritage Precinct can see the key sites of the final siege and Kelly conflict. Glenrowan Heritage Precinct was included in the National Heritage List on 5 July 2005.
EL DORADO MUSEUM The Eldorado Museum holds a collection that reflects the life and times from 1850 to 1950. The displays cover mining, farming and social history of Eldorado and surrounds and is housed in the old school building as well as in outside displays. The Eldorado Museum offers you an opportunity to step back in time and view life as it was from the time of the discovery of gold.
THE VINE HOTEL Located in the heart of North East Victoria, The Vine offers contemporary Australian cuisine in a charming atmosphere that dates back to the 1860s and the Ned Kelly era. Enjoy dining al fresco during the lazy summer months, or rent out our function room for special occasions. Don\’t forget to visit their cellar museum and be sure to check out the \’Ned Kelly\’s escape and entrance tunnel.\’
NED KELLY TOURING ROUTE This site gives an incredibly detailed account of what to see and do in and around Kelly Country. Now you can explore for yourself the many pieces of the Kelly puzzle by visiting the various Kelly sites in Melbourne, north east Victoria and southern New South Wales on the Ned Kelly Touring Route. From the newly launched Ned Kelly Vault at Beechworth, to the spectacular views of Powers Lookout in the King Valley and the broad plains of Jerilderie, visit as many or as few sites as time or interest allows. There is no need to visit the sites in any order – the choice is up to you. All the major Kelly sites are marked with informative signs such as the one shown here, recognisable by the distinctive helmet symbol. The signs provide commentary on the events that occurred at the site and expand on the information contained in this brochure. Some sites and townships also have a centrally located larger sign providing an overview to help you get the most from your visit.
BOURKE MUSEUM & HISTORIC PRECINCT Your gateway to all the old buildings around Beechworth that towns like Euroa and Jerilderie wished they had never pulled down. The Beechworth Historic and Cultural Precinct is a collection of nationally significant buildings telling the story of how Australia grew and prospered. From booms to bushrangers, multiculturalism to communications. Beechworth is a mini-history of Australia. These buildings played an intergral role in the administration of North East Victoria and parts of Southern New South Wales. Today this area is collectively known as the Beechworth Historic and Cultural Precinct. The Precinct buildings have been registered by Heritage Victoria, the National Estate, the National Trust and the Indigo Shire Council planning scheme.
THE OLD MELBOURNE GAOL Ned\’s final months were spent shuffling around the small cells of this bluestone establishment. When the Old Melbourne Gaol as built in the mid 1800s, it dominated the Melbourne skyline as a symbol of British authority. Inside the Gaol, dangerous criminals were held alongside petty offenders, the homeless and the mentally ill. Between 1842 and its closure in 1929 the Gaol was the scene of one hundred and thirty-three hangings including Australia\’s most infamous citizen, the bushranger Ned Kelly. Today you can visit the Old Melbourne Gaol to find out what life was like for the men and women who lived, and died there, all those years ago.
Attractions
NED KELLY SERIES GALLERY Located at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, Sidney Nolan\’s great, iconic Ned Kelly paintings are among the first works that visitors will encounter when they visit. The recently opened, specially constructed oval space on the entry level is intended to display some of our most significant Australian works to best advantage and to make them easily accessible to local and international visitors alike. Highlighting these works makes the point that Australia art is part of the world, with its own stories to tell. This dual emphasis of connectedness and distinctiveness in relation to culture and place is integral to Nolan\’s Ned Kelly series.
MELBOURNE STYLE Artist Maree Coote has redesigned Ned for the new millennium. And she\’s done a very impressive job (in fact I\’m a little jealous!). This site has links and images to a number of Kelly works and collectibles that would put many of those trinket shops hocking Kellyana out of business. A few of these pieces can been seen in our collectibles section.
ANIMATED THEATRE Sitting at the end of the Glenrowan tourist strip lies Bob Hempel\’s Bushranger Show. While not exactly a tourist attraction in my eyes it\’s still worth one visit in a lifetime (especially if you\’re keen to waste forty minutes and $22 dollars). It claims to have been built for $5.5 million but I\’m guessing that was probably Monopoly dollars!
NED KELLY\’S ARMOUR From the Australia\’s Heritage: National Treasures web site comes this little nugget of information,\’From violent cop killer to a champion of the working class, bushranger Ned Kelly is a solid gold Australian icon and folk hero. By the time Kelly was captured in June 1880 after the famous siege at Glenrowan – a precinct included on the National Heritage List – the bearded bushranger had won the hearts of Victorians. When he was sentenced to hang five months later for the murder of three policemen at Stringybark Creek, 30,000 people signed a petition demanding clemency. The iron armour that saved – or some might say cost him – his life is preserved as a national treasure in the State Library of Victoria.\’
Spreading The Word
NED KELLY: IRONCLAD ALIEN KILLER is a no-holds barred rollicking steam punk adventure that elevates our dear Ned into the superhero category. Finally Australia has their own answer to ‘Ironman’! A collaboration between Marvel and DC comics veterans Chris Batista, John Rauch and David Meikis, along with seasoned comic and game writer Nick Macari, Drew Moss (the Colonized) and newcomer Martin Chuzz, Ned Kelly: Ironclad Alien Killer is the ultimate steampunk – sci-fi – historical fiction mash up!
NED KELLY FORUM After all the rubbish Kelly related forums that have littered the internet these past few years it is refreshing to finally see people with passion and persistence come up with a site that deserves not only recognition but participation as well. My new mates Trent Cupid and Steve Jager have put together a great platform which allows like-minded Kellyites to discuss all things Ned. And knowing these guys, they won\’t put up with the crap that littered KC2000. To quote the site, \’This forum is a celebration to the Australian Legend and we encourage open minded and considerate discussion in our forum. We welcome those from all over the globe to share in our conversation.\’
NEDUCATE That man Paul O’Keefe (great great grand nephew of Steve Hart) has put his money where his mouth is and started up a new innovative venture — taking Ned and the Boys to our primary and secondary schools with educational talks and lectures. Check out his site and book him for an appearance. You never know, after a visit from Paul to the classroom, your kids may just teach you something new.
GAME AS NED KELLY is [according to their web site] the world\’s first board game based on the history of the Kelly Gang. Inspired by the true life story, the game play incorporates acts of heroism, team strategies, shoot outs, heartbreak and a clever mix of action cards that add to the drama of the game. Action cards also contain a wealth of facts about the fascinating Kelly story, which teaches a part of Australian history in an enjoyable way [much like ironoutlaw.com]!
NED KELLY PETITION I can not explain this in only one paragraph so instead check it out for yourself and when you are finished mailing the petition off (if it prints out with such a shocker of a background colour) check out the rest of the site dealing with Ned Kelly right here.
BADASS OF THE WEEK This site is a homage to all things tough as steel including our own Ned Kelly. The author uses very colourful language to describe the deeds of this iron outlaw but it\’s fun, entertaining and slightly educational. Well worth a visit.
Sound and Vision
NED – A NEW AUSTRALIAN MUSICAL NED tells the story of an ordinary boy, born to an Irish immigrant family living in poverty in country Victoria. The son of a convict, Ned sees how poorly his family is being treated and learns never to trust a man in uniform. He sees how the selectors are at the mercy of the squatters. And he knows how hard his mother works to keep his family together.
PICTURE AUSTRALIA While not exactly a Ned Kelly site, they do have a Sidney Nolan Kelly helmet as their logo and give Ironoutlaw.com as one of the links to find out more about Ned. So they deserve some sort of mention here. I did say we draw long straws on this page.
IF NED KELLY WAS KING In 1981 Midnight Oil made a pilgrimage to London to play and record with legendary British producer Glyn Johns. Johns\’ label, A&M, refused to release the tapes as the band did not concede to A&M\’s wish that the band \’go back and record a couple of singles\’. The resulting album, Place Without A Postcard was, ironically, the most distinctively Australian album Midnight Oil ever recorded. Many of the songs including If Ned Kelly Was King spoke directly of Australian experiences. Place Without a Postcard was their first real hit. Amongst the multitude of information here, the Midnight Oil web site also contains hundreds of playable excerpts from every album they have produced, including If Ned Kelly Was King.
Added Extras
INDEPENDENT AUSTRALIA Editor David Donovan presents an impressive online journal of Australian identity and democracy. His work is first class (seeing he also uses some of my articles) not to mention the fact he runs the Australian Republican Movement web site and facebook page.
AUSFLAG Everything you wanted to know about the campaign to get rid of the Union Jack and finally give us a flag fitting this grand country of ours. The site includes a history of flags in Australia, an update of where the campaign is at the moment, a gallery of new flag designs, and some fascinating debates between Ausflag and the bearded lady Kerry Jones. Just remember the ANZAC’s did not fight under the Australian flag, so that old argument goes out the window!
SOUTHERN HORIZON Speaking of flags, this design has my number one vote. It encapsulates all the necessary elements a great flag should entail – including the removal of that dreaded Union Jack. The Southern Horizon is not only aesthetically pleasing, it also incorporates our national colours of green and gold to represent our deserts, beaches, and grasslands. It also adds the Southern Cross, the night sky, and Federation Star from the current flag design. Thus, the Southern Horizon not only represents both continuity and change, it also shows no preference for any cultural, social, or ethnic group, thus being a flag which can unite our multicultural society. Furthermore, in flag protocol, the place of honour on a flag is in the canton, or upper quarter nearest the hoist. Thus, on the current Australian flag the flag of another country (United Kingdom) has the place of honour. Furthermore the Federation Star (which symbolizes the Australian Commonwealth) is currently placed in the subservient position below the Union Jack. This is a hangover from our colonial past and is utterly inappropriate to our independence and sovereignty in the 21st century. It\’s time for a flag to represent all Australians!
AUSTRALIAN REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT They may have lost the battle but they definitely haven\’t lost the war. Next time there will be no John Howard sabotaging the referendum or a warbling James Blundell spreading disinformation across this big brown land. Rudd and Turnbull both want it and so do the majority of real Australians, and with that crazy pants man ex Governor General Peter Hollingworth you can’t help but wonder how the Queen keeps hanging in there. In the meantime you can check on the campaigns progress and even join the ranks.
MONARCHIST LEAGUE Courtesy of a silver spoon from millionaire daddy Mr Moran (big dollar backer of the Liberal party and owner of numerous retirement home \’cash–cows\’) comes daughter Ms Jones and that weird looking five o’clock shadow. Her dad may be rich but this site is both content and design poor. Talk about a shoe string budget. This site is full of rubbish about the inbred royal family as they swagger across the world bringing cheer to the masses. You can download a picture of her majesty for your desktop or better still buy a Kerry Jones T-shirt to wear to your next \’Dag\’ party. They even put the New Zealand flag in a fundraising brochure to raise money for the 1999 \’No\’ campaign. As Forest Gump said \’Stupid is what stupid does\’ — with Kerry Jones and the gang at the Monarchist League as living proof.
THE BUSHRANGERS Okay, this web site really has nothing to do with Ned, Joe, Steve or Dan except for the logo used by the Victorian State Cricket Team. Yes our Ned (or another member of his armour clad gang) is featured wielding a cricket bat (instead of a Spencer Repeating Rifle) in the official VCA corporate id. Far enough too, after all, like our antiterrorist cricketing icon Deano, Ned and the boys were Victorians too!
PAUL KEATING Sometimes I lie awake at nights worried people may think me too left wing. Then I get up in the morning and spend the day being a capitalist. I\’m also the editor-in-chief of this web site, so I can link to who I like! It\’s a pity there\’s no Keating protégé in the current Federal Labor Party otherwise Abbott would have been pensioned off years ago.
But Wait There\'s More
HUON PINE ART For lovers of Australiana head over to the home of Kevn Lee, a world renowned artist, who has completed pieces for international companies, businesses, and individuals both locally and across the globe. A self taught artist who combines the versatility of charcoal with the very rare Tasmanian wood known as Huon Pine, Kevn Lee’s drawings capture moments in Australia’s history by retelling those stories through the use of his chosen mediums. Although known for his much sought after life-like portraits, Kevn is also known for pieces featuring horses, bullocks, and the extraordinary lives of people from times past.
MAX\’S NED KELLY CREATIONS If you ever dreamed of owning your own set of Kelly Gang armour then this is the place to go. Max\’s amazing sculptured works was the armour of choice for Madame Tussaud\’s Ned Kelly exhibit in Sydney. Here\’s Max\’s bio, \’My Name is Max, I am a self taught artist, wood worker, metal worker, and sculptor making Ned Kelly and Kelly Gang armour and memorabilia. I made my first Ned piece around 1992 and only started to produce commercially in 2008. I make full size and miniature armours , box sets (which are totally unique), letterboxes, and a myriad of other Ned related gear. I am also promoting other Australian artists and craftsmen, whom I believe are helping to keep our legend alive. I am constantly coming up with new ideas and selling on eBay or through our online shop.\’
NED KELLY LOUNGE Located in Zurich-Dielsdorf is all about live music and entertainment. The Australian themed lounge, found in the gallery at OZ Bowling, offers exciting live music, tasty food, and games for groups of all sizes. Originally from Switzerland, Ned Kelly Lounge owner Roland Beerli, lived in Australia for nearly 20 years. Having returned from Australia he wanted to offer fun bowling and live entertainment in the Zurich area for friends, family and colleagues to enjoy. Ned Kelly Lounge offers freshly cooked food and goodies straight from the kitchen.
KELLYS BAR AND KITCHEN Located in an original log cabin built by Jack Dodd for the Anstey family over 100 years ago, the venue originally served as a tea room before any other shops were opened in Olinda. Since then the building has been renovated to become a functioning modern restaurant whilst still maintaing the warm rustic ambience of the original building. Using seasonal and local produce our chefs work each week to create an ever changing array of special dishes whilst also maintaing the staple menu Kellys Bar and Kitchen.
THE NED KELLY RING A great addition to any finger, it\’s the Ned Kelly Ring. Here\’s what it says on the web site, \’A Sterling Silver Ned Kelly Ring Australian Bushranger Masked Hero with high polish and marked 925. The Dimensions of the top are: 25 mm x 21 mm and the average weight is a large 18 grams depending on the size This is stunning Silver ring that is hand-made, solid Sterling Silver 925, Has high detail – check out the bullet holes.\’
THE NED KELLY GAME – A NOVEL For lovers of crime thrillers, Lea Scott\’s novel brings the Ned Kelly story to the masses. It juxtaposes the plight of Ned Kelly and the fate of his missing skull in its historical background, alongside a modern-day murder mystery. Visit her site and join her campaign to find Ned Kelly\’s skull so that he may finally be laid to rest, in one piece!
WANTED: NED KELLY This site is home to an old PC based learning program by NewByte which states that the game is “A fantastic way to involve your primary and secondary students in Australia\’s history. This adventure simulation provides your students with a wealth of opportunities to discover the truth about Ned Kelly and his notorious Kelly Gang”. Say no more.
NED KELLYS RETREAT New to the theme scene comes Australia’s only true restaurant based on the Australiana / Ned Kelly concept, located in Adelaide, South Australia. If you are visiting the city of churches and would like to make a booking you can phone them on 08 8396 2955.
NED KELLY WOOD HEATERS Oh this site really burns me up (get it: wood heaters, burns…). Anyway, like most of the URL’s in this section, the site hasn’t much to do with Ned at all except for the strange names the company calls their stoves (sorry, wood heaters).
NED KELLY EUREKA This web site was created by Biker Bits in Bulahdelah on the mid north coast of New South Wales. The site sells a range of Australiana merchandise (mainly based on Ned Kelly and Eureka – as the name suggests) and all with a twelve month guarantee. Despite some issues with wording (the about us page could do with a spell check), the owners are doing a good job in selling Kelly related items of decent quality and value.
KELLY\’S PATCH WINES Located in Ireland, this winery has produced a range of impressively designed wine labels so we gather (not having tasted a drop) they must be onto something good as business seems to be booming. Apparently the winery sits on a patch of land that once belonged to the Kelly family, hence the name.
Ironoutlaw Archives
PANDORA, Australia\’s Web Archive, is a growing collection of Australian online publications, established initially by the National Library of Australia in 1996, and now built in collaboration with nine other Australian libraries and cultural collecting organisations. The name, PANDORA, is an acronym that encapsulates our mission: Preserving and Accessing Networked Documentary Resources of Australia. IronOutlaw.com is regularly archived by PANDORA. You can view earlier incantations by clicking on the link in the heading.
WAYBACK MACHINE The IronOutlaw.com site has impressions dating back to 17 August, 2001. So if you\’re feeling a tad nostalgic but can\’t afford the time to whip up a flux-capacitor and bolt it into a DeLorean, simply click the link above and relive the glory days. The Internet Archive was founded with the express aim to build an Internet library, with the purpose of offering permanent access for researchers, historians, and scholars to historical collections that exist in digital format (like us).