Continuing the hunt for Australia's ultimate hipster: Ned Kelly

Armed and alert: Ned Kelly keeps a watch over you
in The Cullen Art Series hotel, Melbourne.
Photo: Belle Jackson

Fancy eyeballing a death mask watching a courtroom drama of the Kelly saga or viewing other Kellyana (yes, there is such a word) tied in with the Ned Kelly legend?

Following on from my Ned Kelly proposition as Australia's proto-hipster, (click here to read it) if you want to continue chasing the tale of the legend, here are five other places in Victoria to view Kelly memorabilia.

State Library of Victoria displays portions of the Jerilderie Letter, family photographs and also Ned Kelly’s armour (currently on loan). Free tours every Wednesday 1pm, 328 Swanston St, Melbourne, slv.vic.gov.au.

Melbourne Gaol, where Kelly was hanged in 1880 has a death mask. Catch the ‘Such is Life’ performance, Saturdays, or re-enact the courtroom drama daily, $25 adults, $13.50 children (5-15 yrs), 377 Russell St, Melbourne, oldmelbournegaol.com.au.

Benalla Costume and Kelly Museum holds pistols, a portable cell that held Ned and the bloodied, green silk cummerbund 11-year-old Ned was given for rescuing a drowning child, which he wore at the Siege of Glenrowan, $5 adults. Open daily, 14 Mair Street, Benalla.  home.vicnet.net.au/~benmus.

Victoria Police Museum gives the police’ side of events. It holds the armour of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart, police telegrams detailing the murders of police by the Kelly Gang, Ned’s cartridge bag, Constable Makintires sketches policemuseum.vic.gov.au. 

The Burke Museum in the gold-rush town of Beechworth, 285km north of Melbourne, has a new Ned Kelly Vault, originally a gold vault. The Kellyana includes Kelly Gang guns, another of Ned’s death masks and his favourite rifle, Betty.  It also has the armour Mick Jagger wore in the film. The town’s court house is where Ned’s committal hearing was held in August 1880 and the town commemorates the hearing at Ned Kelly Weekend every August, burkemuseum.com.au.