Ned Kelly – Such Is Life.

Ned Kelly is Australia’s only folk hero. Was he a rebel fighting for those downtrodden by the earlier squatters or simply a thief and murderer with a good marketing plan? Well he could have been both and he is certainly remembered for his last stand in 1880 at which he and his gang came out fighting dressed in homemade armour from head to toe. The gang all died, Kelly was injured and captured, and sentenced, and hung in Melbourne Gaol. 

His last words were “Ah well. It’s come to this. Such is life”. He was 25.

These final events took place in Glenrowan, Victoria where we rode today through the beautiful King Valley countryside from Mansfield. We enjoyed a view of the events at Ned Kelly’s Last Stand, a museum show of complete over-the-top animatronic mayhem built by Bob Hempel in 1980 and developed and improved every year since.

I can see why the whole shebang gets mixed reviews but I loved it for the unapologetic, over enthusiastic kitsch.

We also had the unabashed delight of meeting and chatting to Bob before and after the show. He is now in his 80s and still lives with his grandson in rooms mixed with the Ned Kelly show. He is clearly still completely engaged in his creation even after 40 years and he is a natural storyteller. He had a big dream and he still pursues it probably without a care for what people think. He told us about his grandson “making the whole show better because he understands all that computer stuff” and regaled us with the tale of the visit by George Lucas who, I can totally believe, loved the show.

Corny but sincere and totally committed to Ned Kelly’s defense.

Photos – Post execution death mask taken from Kelly and the original armour – both almost hidden in the State Library of Victoria I visited a few weeks ago. Bob Hempel the creator of Ned Kelly’s Last Stand. Warning to customers and an example of the dioramas within. Me and Ned shooting it out with the police.