Who was Ned Kelly?
Ned Kelly was an Australian bushranger, or outlaw, who led the Kelly Gang in northeast Victoria in the late 1870s. He is famous for wearing homemade armor at his final shootout in 1880. He was hanged in Melbourne that year.
Kelly was born in Victoria in 1854 or 1855, the son of an Irish convict. His family had frequent conflicts with the police, and he grew up resentful of authority.
In 1878, after a confrontation at the Kelly family home, Ned and his brother Dan went into hiding. At Stringybark Creek, the gang shot and killed three police officers.
The siege at Glenrowan
The gang carried out bank robberies at Euroa and Jerilderie. In June 1880, they made a final stand at Glenrowan, wearing heavy armor made from plough mouldboards.
Three gang members were killed, and Ned was wounded and captured. He was tried and hanged at the Old Melbourne Gaol on 11 November 1880.
Kelly remains a controversial figure. Some see him as a murderer, while others see him as a symbol of resistance against injustice. His story has inspired paintings by Sidney Nolan, books and films, including The Story of the Kelly Gang in 1906, often called the world's first feature-length film.