Ned Kelly is an Australian legend. He epitomised many qualities that ordinary Australians admire. He was a larrikin, loyal to his family and ready to sacrifice himself for his mates. An underdog, he represented the struggling classes and thumbed his nose at the establishment. He was inventive, he was fearless and charismatic.
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.
We mustn’t forget that there are many sides to the legend of Ned Kelly.
Yes, he was a criminal and had had numerous brushes with the law from a young age. But was he merely following his father and uncles’ lead and a product of his environment? In the context of the times, he was a hero to Irish immigrants, who felt they were being persecuted by the establishment. It’s claimed that most of the takings from his famous bank robberies went to help his supporters, so many say Ned was an Australian Robin Hood.
