Ned Kelly A Famous Australian Bushranger

Introduction

This Webquest will introduce Ned Kelly

Ned Kelly is a famous known Australian Bushranger. He was born in December 1854 and died in November 1880. He was born in Victoria and was the third child in a family of eight siblings. Ned Kelly was born as Edward Ned Kelly and was of Irish decent. His Dad was an Irish convict from Tipperary and his Mum was Australian with Irish parents. Kelly’s Dad died after a six month prison sentence when Kelly was 12 years old. He was the eldest male in his family. Ned Kelly came from a poor family and he was arrested in 1870 for associating with another bushranger Harry Power, Kelly was convicted of stealing horses and put in goal for three years. In 1878 Kelly fled to the bush after being accused for attempted murder of a police officer at the Kelly home. Kelly, his brother Dan and two acquaintances killed three policemen; the Victorian Government declared them outlaws.

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 Did you know facts about Ned Kelly?

  • Ned’s first brush with the law came in 1869 when he was aged 14. He beat and robbed a Chinese worker called Ah Fook, though there is some dispute about what actually triggered the incident and its exact details.

  • After going on the run in 1878, following the shooting of a policeman, Kelly and his partners in crime got into a gun battle with police, and Kelly shot three officers.

  • The legend of the Kelly Gang grew from this point, and the gang became famous for their homemade amour. This crude plate amour was made from metal taken from agricultural equipment, and offered significant protection from bullets.

  • While on the run, Kelly dictated the famous 8000-word Jerilderie Letter. This outlined his reasons for becoming an outlaw, and detailed the ways in which he felt his Irish Catholic family had been victimised by the law.

  • The gang’s final shoot-out took place at the Glenrowan Hotel, where Kelly’s armour made him look like a ghost as he emerged to face the police.

  • All of the gang members apart from Kelly were gunned down though, while Kelly himself was arrested. He was hanged on 11th November 1880.